From: Betsy Grimm Tritt
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 6:18 PM
Subject: Winnie Grimm Hummel

Mom was on the staff at BL from 1974-1988. All of her children attended BL.

Martha Grimm Brady - Class of 1963 (rmbrady8@sbcglobal.net)
Betsy Grimm Tritt - Class of 1965 (dets68@aol.com)
Steven Grimm - attended 1963-65 (AAABusdriver@verizon.net)
Katheryn Grimm Morris - Class of 1983 (kathym42@gmail.com) - also grew up as a BL staff child.

WINIFRED WEBB BUCHANAN GRIMM HUMMEL

Winifred Webb Buchanan was born October 9, 1922 in Charlottesville, Virginia to the late William James and Bessie Garland Dinwiddie Buchanan. She grew up in the Waynesboro area with older siblings Bill, Lilie, and Agnes. She was graduated from Waynesboro High School, and The King�s College in Newcastle, Delaware, which later moved to Briarcliff Manor, NY. Later in life, she earned her Masters in elementary education from Florida State University, and her Masters in library science from The University of South Carolina.

Mrs. Hummel went to be with the Lord on March 3, 2007 at Penney Farms Retirement Center, Penney Farms, FL, where she lived with her second husband Carl Hummel. They were married in April of 1989.

Services were held at Penney Farms on Wednesday, March 7, 2007.

And at a later date, graveside services will be held in Waynesboro, VA.

Winifred was married to the late Reverend Albert Charles Grimm in June 1945. They are survived by four children: Martha and her husband Ronald Brady of Hanna City, IL; Betsy and her husband David Tritt of Bel Air, MD; Steven and his wife Patricia (Baer) of Harrisburg,PA; and Katheryn and her husband John Morris of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. They also have 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

The Grimms were active in Christian work in Minnesota, New York, and Florida. He founded Bethany Christian School in Ft. Lauderdale in 1954, where they worked until December of 1959, when they became missionaries to San Jose, Costa Rica, where they served until 1970. Rev. Grimm was on the staff of First Presbyterian Church of Plantation, FL, at the time of his death in November 1973.

Mrs. Hummel is survived by her husband, children, 7 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren, 3 nephews, and 4 nieces.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Penney Farms Pavilion in Mrs. Hummel's name or to:

The Winnie Grimm Hummel Memorial Fund
c/o LAM
P. O. Box 52-7900
Miami, Florida 33152-7900

Please include a separate note designating "In memory of Winnie Grimm Hummel"

These donations will be used for a project in Costa Rica to make church buildings handicapped accessible. The government there has imposed new building codes that require such access to church buildings. Funding will help churches in poverty areas make required improvements.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

Mr. Hummel
P.O. Box 836
Penney Farms, FL 32079

or to Mrs. Hummel's daughters:

Mrs. Ronald Brady
12913 West Court Street
Hanna City, IL 61536-9788

or

Mrs. David Tritt
702 Macroom Court
Bel Air, MD 21014.

----- Original Message -----
From: Kathy Morris
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 1:58 PM

Kathy Grimm Morris
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
kathym42@gmail.com
Class of 1983

Thanks so much to the many BL friends who have written us with condolences. My mom, Winnie Grimm Hummel, passed away on the 3rd of March.

She worked at Ben Lippen during the 70's and 80's as librarian. We moved there just after my father died in 1973. Our Ben Lippen years were very good ones in many ways and we made many good friends there during my growing up years. What some of our friends from that era may not remember is that my siblings also attended Ben Lippen in the mid/late-60s. Some of you may remember Martha, Betsy and Steve Grimm. Steve's wife is Patty Baer, who has several siblings who attended Ben Lippen as well.

Our family had a very special week together last week as we celebrated my mom's life. Once again, thank you very much for all your kind thoughts and wishes. We are planning a graveside service for relatives and friends who were not able to make it to her memorial service in Florida. It is tentatively planned for May and will take place in Waynesboro, VA, where my mother was from.

----- Original Message -----
From: Wendy Mullinax Arnim
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 2:50 PM
Subject: Ben Lippen: Winnie Grimm

[I received the following e-mail from Kathy Grimm Morris on Sunday, March 4, 2007, & will pass along any additional information as I receive it. I have sent this to various folks for whom I have an e-mail address (mostly my class) --- please pass it along to others from our BL family that you have contact with. Since I got some of these addresses off of Becky's alumni site, I'm not sure which ones are current so if you see an incorrect address, & have the correct one, please pass this info along. Contact me directly (wendy@alongfortheride.org) if you received this second-hand & would like to get updates from me as soon as I receive them. Please keep Kathy & the family in your prayers during this time.

-Wendy (Mullinax) Arnim, Class of '83.]

Back in Salisbury, would love to hear from you!

– Updated on Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 20:49 (EDT)

Just a little update on address and email address from me. Wanted to say hi to everyone that has stopped by to this site. Great site�too bad not everyone could stop in. email address is techframer@yahoo.com and am living in missouri close to where my parents are living and brother and sister. Would love to hear from anyone.

– Signed on Sunday, November 26, 2006 5:40 PM

I am listed in the class of '67. On the odd chance that someone from BLS may try to reach me by email, would you change my address to raysmith3@cox.net?

Thank you.

Ray Smith

– Email Updated on Thursday, November 23, 2006

Hi everyone,

I realized my last update was YEARS old so here I am.

I am still working at the same hospital in Bryn Mawr PA and am the manager of the Cardiology department.

My husband David Akers who I met at Covenant College have been married for 25 years. My oldest son Robert Harrison is 19 and attending the University of Hartford, CT majoring in Vocal preformance at the Hartt School of music. Justine Paige is 17 and a senior in highschool. Haley Brooke is 14 and a freshman. All my children are gifted with the talent for singing and acting. And are all involved with music.

We still own and operate Akers Construction. We are still best of friends with Louise Stewart Kemp and family and are happy to say they live near us now having left the mission field.

Some of my BL classmates continue to be my closest friends to this day. Louise Stewart, Bob Morrison and Harrison Tullidge.

Ruth Akers RN, BSN
Manager, OP Cardiac Rehab
Non-Invasive Cardiology
Bryn Mawr Hospital

– Updated on November 16, 2006 at 5:37 PM
– Original was signed in 1997 - click here.

I suppose the fact that I'm approaching 30 (gulp!) has made me a little sentimental/curious about everyone from high school. Just wondering what everyone is doing etc.

After graduating I attended USC and Cornerstone University (in Michigan) for about 2 1/2 years. I planned to teach English (inspired by the beloved and sadly missed Mrs Key). I worked a ton and didn't really enjoy the school thing so I decided to give up. Only I don't exactly see it as giving up because I wasn't satisfied. I see it more as giving in.

I then did what I had been interested in for a long time, but never encouraged to do by my parents - went to beauty school! About halfway through I discovered that severe eczema would keep me from doing hair for a living. I was determined to finished what I started though.

Right after that, in July of 2000 I married my wonderful husband, Pete. Life has been a whirlwind since then - Peter Ryan was born on December 7, 2001. Katherine Alaina was born on June 12, 2003. On August 31, 2005, we welcomed Madeline Olivia into our family. We are expecting number 4 in April 2007. So life is busy and chaotic and loud and messy - but wonderful.

I stay home with the kids and Pete works as an accountant. I also work from home as a consultant for Usborne Books (the perfect job for a stay at home mom). We are planning on homeschooling, so I will get to be a teacher after all! I am excited and a little overwhelmed, but Lord willing I will have the patience and wisdom for this to work.

I would love to hear from anyone! Especially if you're staying home and/or homeschooling!!!

Rachel

– Signed on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 9:18 AM (EDT)

Alleene Petty Kracht

– Signed on Friday, August 18, 2006 7:22 AM

Jon Walton

After leaving Ben Lippen, I graduated from Furman University with a BS in Computer Science. I worked for MetLife for quite a while (19 years), got an MBA from Clemson University during that time, and then started consulting when MetLife decided to close the office that I worked in. I'm currently an IT Project Manager, specializing in Health care project rescue. Along the way, I taught college classes and ran a company that produced murder mystery style weekend adventures.

I've been married 20 years since my time at Ben Lippen - 15 of those years to the wrong person. We divorced in 1997 and I was married in 2000 to the love of my life. As part of the package, I picked up 2 sons, a daughter and (so far) two grand children.

I stayed in Greenville, SC for quite a while, then started shifting around: Charleston, SC, Kalamazoo, MI, Atlanta GA (so I probably passed Chris McAdams on the interstates some mornings - that was a LONG commute), Thousand Oaks, CA and I'm now in Tallahassee, FL, working a project rescue for the Florida Department Of Health.

I frequently think back about times at Ben Lippen and this page has been wonderful. it is very interesting to see where people ended up.

The class of 1976 has its 30 year reunion coming up this year (scary thought, that).

If you want to see some of the adventures, please check my web site (I keep it fairly up to date).

Jon Walton

– Signed on Thursday, July 6, 2006 4:28 PM (EDT)

I phoned the church and spoke with Carter Johnson. He said there has been an amazing outpouring of love via money and letters for the Hathaways - over $11,000 to this point! Additionally, some doctors have heard about the situation and have agreed to forward "physician samples" of the Parkinson's medications Bob uses. This is truly wonderful! Please pass this news along, and I'll keep you posted!

Bonnie attends church every week, but Bob is not able to get out. If you haven't gotten a receipt for your donation yet, please be patient, and I'm sure you will get one. I mentioned it to the pastor, but he didn't know much about the bookkeeping procedures. I'm sure he will check on it, though.

Thanks so much for your continued support.
Becky Branham Dimon

– Signed on Monday, May 1, 2006 10:49 AM (EDT)

An update:

Art is now retired and managing our commercial property full time. For three years I traveled to various military bases speaking to the wives of deployed soldiers, marines and airmen on family and faith issues. Now I am doing some volunteer work in D.C. and waiting to see what God has for me next. We sponsor a lot of midshipmen from the US Naval Academy so our home is full of college kids most weekends. I have a passion for missions but the closest I can get is short trips. I go to Peru in two weeks and will make my third trip to Ukraine this summer, as God allows.

Our two sons are both in the Coast Guard. Erik moves back to Annapolis with his wife Susan, this summer to begin grad school and Andy returns from Iraq in June, God willing. Katie graduated from Bryan College and is working for the Heritage Foundation. Betsy will graduate from Bryan in December. Christie and Tori are still at home, both in high school.

God has been good to us, His mercies are new every morning.


– Signed on Sunday, April 30, 2006 11:49 AM (EDT)

Hi Becky,

Great website!

I spent only one year at Ben Lippen, in 11th grade in 1981-82, which would make me class of '83 had I finished up there. I am currently Vice President of Information Systems for Advance Auto Parts in Roanoke, Virginia.

I don't have a ton of memories from my time in Ben Lippen, but the one that stands out as fun was delivering the invitations to the Senior Prom by flying an airplane over the campus and tossing them out the window. We sort of missed and they landed in the woods behind one of the dorms, but at least they still landed on campus. No word on whether the pilot of the plane still has his license.

I enjoyed seeing a few names I recognized from my year there. Thanks for taking the time to put all this together!

Best Regards...Mike

– Signed on Sunday, November 27, 2005 12:48 AM (EDT)

My name is Kicki (Nordenstam) Hellquist. I live in Stockholm, Sweden, and graduated in 1988. My e-mail is kicki_hellquist@hotmail.com.

I was so glad to see this page and read entries by people I remember so well and have so many great memories of. I live in Stockholm with my husband (since 11 years back, wow time flies...) and our two children, Clara who is 5 and Theodor, 3 years.

I work at General Electric right now, but I have also worked in printing & publishing for a few years, which I really enjoyed, and I also worked in missions for a few years. My husband and I spent 3 years in Singapore, which was a great experience. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me.

Bye for now, Kicki.

– Signed on Thursday, November 17, 2005 1:12 PM (EST)

I just got back from the 1985 class reunion held in Asheville. It was great fun to see friends from the old days and to see the old campus. And to hear about what is going on with everyone and how we can now reflect about what a huge impact God had on our lives through Ben Lippen. I was so pleased to see that the new "retirement community" is going to retain some of the old campus buildings and much of the look of when we were there. I can't believe they aren't tearing down the boys dorm and instead making it into an inn.

I actually met and spoke with the owner/developer while we were on our "tour" and he seemed very nice and sympathetic to retaining some of the history. His attorney is actually a BL alum. The land there is absolutely beautiful. The roads he has put in on top of the mountain and the clearing he has done has really opened it up back there. I'd much rather have it still be the BL campus, but if it has to change, at least it appears that it is going to be done right and look beautiful.

It was awesome to see Ms. Harden. I can't believe she actually still had our mini-autobiographies that we wrote in her class - all filed away neat and nice. Talk about organized! It was funny to read mine from 22 years ago. Being in Ms. Harden's class back then has served me well during my life. I am excited that our class is going to start an effort to reconnect folks and try to get together an 80s reunion in the summer of 2008. I hope that happens. It would be awesome!

As far as a personal update: I am still at Deloitte Tax and am now a senior manager still working mainly with airlines. My wife and I now have 3 children: Violet - 6, Carter - 5, and Anabel - 3 months. They keep us busy. We are homeschooling and have found a church near our home that we enjoy immensely.

Anyone from the classes of the mid-80s, please drop me a line sometime. My work e-mail is kevinthompson@deloitte.com. Home e-mail is kell0880@bellsouth.net. God bless!

- Kevin

– Signed on Wednesday, November 02, 2005 10:53 (EST)

Hi Becky,

Lovely site. My name is Nancy Hightower, and I attended Ben Lippen in 1985 and '86. I finished out high school in Colorado since my parents moved there. I then went to college in Durango, CO (beautiful campus), and went on to get my Masters and Ph.D. in Literature. I teach at the University of Colorado at Boulder now, and am really just having a blast. I've been teaching college kids for the past ten years! Wow, how time flies. I really did love my time at BL, and would like to hear from anyone that might remember me! My email is nhightow@du.edu.

Many Thanks,
Nancy

– Signed on Saturday, October 15, 2005 at 16:00 (EDT)

This web site is a life saver in that more and more people show up here. To update: My husband and I are back in Seattle, but praying about possibly moving to Atlanta, GA. All you people in the Atlanta area will have to tell us the advantages of living there. I just had a son on Father's Day this year (2005). You can see him on www.stillion.com on my husband Martin's side of the site on his blog, plus pictures of us. In the past few years I've traveled a lot to France several times (yes, met with John Stauffager and his wife), Ireland, Scotland, England, and Greece.

Right now the big thing is our class 20th reunion. Somehow, I got elected to organize it. Bill Edgar has helped me do this. We are having it in a couple of weeks October 28-30 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain. Anyone from other classes are welcome to come, but it has been hard even getting the word out to our class. About 15 families are signed up to come at this point and a few more last minute people might come. Please, if you are near Asheville COME!

We'd like to have an all 1980s class get together in Asheville. I think we should take 5 years and organize it (contacting people is the biggest thing!). Taking that amount of time, maybe the people that do live overseas have a fighting chance of being able to plan to come? That's the thought. We need a champion for each class to contact me to plan this. Then we need an overall champion to organize us all. I elect Wendy (Mullinax) Arnim from the class of 1983 for overall champion! What do you all think?

Let me know.
Sarah (Walton) Stillion

– Signed on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at 04:38 (EDT)

Melissa Matthews Kight (Class of 1988)
Graduated from Furman University in 1993
Married in 1996
M.S. in Community Counseling from Western Carolina University in 2001
Daughter Lily born in 2003
Currently live in Asheville


– Signed on Thursday, October 6, 2005 at 23:49 (EDT)

9/22/2005 - Hurricane Update and Pictures

Go to the MoneyTrax web site to read update and view pictures - www.moneytrax.com

Once at the home page, click on "Hurricane Update" in the right column.

Prayers for all those in Rita's path.

Connie & Don Blanton

– Signed on Thursday, September 22, 2005 at 19:53 (EDT)

Dear Becky,

Thank-you for doing this website! I didn't know it existed until I met a lady in our new church who went to BL, and graduated back in 1973. She told me about it!

To all my classmates of 1986:

I can hardly believe it has been 19 years since High School.... After graduation, I went home to Upperville, VA, to live for a year with my parents before I would attend college. There I worked as a Preschool teacher. Then I met Rick Loughborough... My plans were to change! Rick is 5 years older than me. He was a banker. Needless to say, we were married on April 25, 1987. We lived in an apartment in Manassas, VA, for almost 2 years. I worked in a local department store. Then Rick told me he felt called into the Ministry. I didn't want anything to do with it... having grown up as a PK. However, later I had a real sense of peace about it. We moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Rick attended Moody Bible Institute to get his Pastor's degree, after already graduating from The American Institute of Banking. While we lived there, I worked downtown Chicago at an Insurance Agency for one year, then I was a nanny for a family in the suburbs for 2 years. I was blessed to be able to take some classes as well at night with other married students' wives. Our son, Joshua, was born in December of 1991, 2 weeks before Rick graduated. We then moved to Columbia, MD, to help plant a contemporary style church (part of the Willow Creek Association), where Rick was the Assistant Pastor. Our daughter, Jordan, was born in May 1995. While living in Columbia, Md., I was blessed to be a stay at home mom. Rick went back into banking... He was promoted, and we moved to Charlotte, N.C. in the fall of 1997. There we lived in Lincolnton for 3 years, and Gastonia for 4 years (30 mins. west of Charlotte). I worked part time doing some Marketing for 12 of the area McDonalds... also Activities Coordinator for one of them. Well, all this to say Rick felt he needed to get back into full-time Ministry...so long story short... in January 2005, this year, we moved here to Elizabeth City, N.C. I am a stay home full time mom now! Yeah!!! Rick is the Executive Pastor for New Community Church here. God is so good!!! It is the perfect job for him! It uses his Business background, as well as all of his Pastoral training. Our son, Joshua, is 13 in the 8th grade!!!! Wow!!! I can't believe I have a teenager!!!! Our daughter, Jordan, is 10 in the 5th grade!!! They go to a local Christian school here. I am very involved in the women's ministry at our church. We love the church and people here! It is a contemporary style church! (Dramas, multi-media, worship songs, etc...). We live about 1 hour from the Outerbank beaches!! We enjoyed going over there some this summer! Please write me when you get a chance! I've enjoyed reading all of your letters!!! After 18 years of marriage...It's amazing to look back and see all of what God has brought us through!!! God is so good to us!

Love in Him, Kristy Ball (Loughborough)

– Signed on Friday, September 9, 2005 at 21:49 (EDT)

Don and Connie Blanton, Class of 1972 <>
Mandeville, LA, USA

From SUNDAY, August 28th:

Just trying to check in with everyone in connection with Hurricane Katrina.

We boarded up our home in Mandeville and headed to our condo in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. Don's parents left their home in Covington and are with us. Faith and two children were on their way down to LA (from VA) for vacation but they met us here. Don was able to change his flight out of New Orleans to Ft. Lauderdale and fly out of Ft. Walton this afternoon to do a seminar in Ft. Lauderdale Mon. and Tues. He is to return late Tues. night IF the flights are coming in by then.

There is an evacuation of Okaloosa Island (which we are on) because of potential flooding. But we are staying and the condo assoc. is leaving our power ON, but turning off power to the vacant units. So unless the power goes out here, we should be ok. We are about 250 miles from where the eye is scheduled to make landfall. The tide is occasionally lapping up to the sand dunes (if you remember where those are.) Next are the four foot walls around the pools and then the ground floor of the condo. The Gulf is angry!

Possibly the worst we will experience is power outage and not being able to get back home if there is a home left. It's surreal. I'm really uneasy without Don here, but we know Who is in control. I tried to contact some of you local people before I left, but couldn't get anyone - hopefully you had already left town. If you receive this, please let me know where you are. Pray for the people who couldn't get out of N.O. - this is going to be really bad.

The news says the worst time for N.O. is going to be between 9 am and 3 pm Central time Monday. I'll try to keep in touch as long as we have power. I love you all.

From MONDAY, August 29th:

Thank you for those of you who have replied to my earlier email. We came through the night with no problem and still have power. As you probably know the storm shifted east and will hopefully spare N.O. proper of the brunt of the eye.

The sustained winds here are 40 miles an hour and expected to increase throughout the day. The surf has moved no closer than it was yesterday, but also expeced to increase throughout the day.

We have been in touch with Don's parents' neighbors who stayed in Covington and they said they can see no damage to their home. That's all the word we've had from home.

Please continue to pray - it's not over yet. Thank you, my friends.

From TUESDAY, August 30th:

The power has gone off and on several times throughout last night - stayed off for 30 minutes one time, but that was the worst in regards to power here at Ft. Walton Beach, FL.

Faith and kids are leaving today to go to Orlando to try to have some kind of vacation. The kids have done pretty well being cooped up here for 3 days.

Have not been able to get any info on Mandeville/Covington - no phone service. I have not even been able to talk to Don in Ft. Lauderdale, FL since yesterday afternoon for the same reason. He is supposed to fly back in late tonight to Ft. Walton.

So it's just more waiting - wondering what we will find when we are able to go back home. From here to home we have to drive through the worst hit area - MS - don't know when those roads will be passable.

Two good points:

1. Most of the evacuaees went West and North instead of East (where we are) so it hopefuly won't be as bad as others trying to get home.

2. The major news channels are not reporting anything on our area so that may possibly mean it may not be totally devastating in that they only report the very bad stuff. Holding out all the hope I can.

Thank you to so many have encouraged us over the last few days - please forgive me if I don't respond individually to you all but I do appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.

Got this info from 2 message boards: Greenleaves (my subdivision) and Covington did not flood. Gazillion trees down, no power/water, parish (county) is closed. Rumor is that text messages can get through, but not calls to/from phones with 985 area code.

Don flies in tonight - his flight is delayed due to another plane having to make an emergency landing in Atl.

Aunt Pat in Daphne, AL on the Eastern Shore of Mobile has power and water.

From THURSDAY, September 1st:

Don's parents' house doesn't have any trees down on it!! Our house has a tree laying up against the game room (by the pool) but has not broken through the roof. Thank you, Lord! We lost our oak tree and giant crepe myrtle in the front yard. Parts of the fence are down, one column and a couple of planters are down where the tree in the back yard is up against the house. The neighbor's tree is down in our side yard.

All this info is from Ray Duncan - they made it home last night. Ray was going to try to find a generator today (Please pray that he finds one.) They also have the option of going on to Houston to stay with his son who just had knee surgery or they have several relatives in Mobile and of course, they could come back here. I hope they dont try to stay there with no electricity!

James text messaged (incoming calls to 985 area code still not working) Matt Robicheaux in Covington - they stayed for the H. but are all fine.

The Welches had one tree down in their front yard, but not on their house.

No word on any other friends in the area.

So it looks like the worst we'll have to deal with is spoiled food in the fridges and freezers. Thank you all for praying - if you hear from anyone in my area, please let me know!

From TUESDAY, September 6th:

It's hard to sleep nights - so many have lost everything. We feel guilty that we have a place to go to when so many thousands are displaced/homeless. We don't know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future!

We are still working out many details with regards to our business and it will be awhile before we get all the bugs worked out. Our plan now is to stay here in Ft. Walton Beach for the next several months until the New Orleans (Louis Armstrong International) Airport is running on a full schedule again. Don's schedule is packed from now until Christmas and the airport here is only 15 min. away so this will actually work out well for him to fly in and out of here.

Jeff Hopper and his wife, Stephanie, were the "Live Case" at our annual convention in New Orleans in 2000. This means Don went through the financial planning process with them in front of the attendees to the convention. Then on October 19, 2003, Jeff became the 12th victim of the D.C. Sniper and survived. Jeff and Stephanie were our guests once again at our annual convention in 2004, and shared the events of that terrifying day with our attendees.

Jeff partnered with MoneyTrax last December as our Technology Partner has been invaluable during this disaster. I called him Saturday morning and told him "we need a disaster plan" never dreaming that we would actually have to use it. With his direction we successfully uploaded the hard drive of the Mandeville office computer to a computer in Melbourne, FL, (where Jeff is located) dedicated to MoneyTrax. Now from our computer here at the condo, I log onto his computer and work just as if I were sitting at the Mandeville computer! Who would have dreamed that when Don and Jeff met that Jeff would come to our aid because of a hurricane six years later? God did!

Don has 20 agents coming here to the beach for a Mentoring Program on Thursday and Friday. As far as we know now, we plan to go home on Saturday to assess the damage from the downed trees and clean out our fridges and freezers. A subdivision down the street (Meadowbrook) got power back today. We're hoping that Greenleaves may be restored this week also. Then Don is back on the road again.

Thank you to those of you who have offered your help. As far as we know now we do not require anything personally, but we are sure that once we can get back and visit with folks at home there will be those who need help to put their lives back together and need financial assistance. We will give you some specifics when we know more.

Love to you all - Connie Blanton

Below are some links of pictures and web sites that some of you may be interested in:

The web-page (www.trinitychurchonline.net) has a new section to collect reports on your location, needs and experiences.

Trinity Church blog:
http://trinitychurch.blogspot.com/

Mandeville Pictures:
http://www.cct.lsu.edu/~afrench/northshore Look on Pg 2 (bottom left) for 102 Cornerstone (Greenleaves) home of Gill and Blanche Purdy. Mandeville Chat & Info:
http://www.nola.com/forums/mandeville/index.ssf

More Mandeville pictures
http://www.picturetrail.com/missmichelle222

St. Tammany Parish Government web site
http://www.stpgov.org/

"Where was God when Katrina hit?"
http://ifc.gospelcom.net/spiritual_growth/1507/
Read Luis Palau's "Where is God when bad things happen?"

From WEDNESDAY, September 7th:

Many of you have asked how you can help. Below is the link to our church in Covington, LA - Trininty Evangelical Free Church. They are set up to take donations of financial aid, manpower, and supplies to help local families in our hometown displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.trinitychurchonline.net/

The pastor of our church, Michael Sprague, has three trees down on his house. Thank you again for your generous offers to help. I reported to you yesterday, that we thought we might go home on Sat. 9/10 - not sure that we are going at this point. Will keep you posted.

"This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Connie

– Posted on Thursday, September 8, 2005 at 9:54 (EDT)

Hi, Becky - what a blast from the past!! I was looking up info on the high school I actually graduated from (Los Alamos High School in New Mexico) after attending BL for 2 years, and a bunch of other high schools came up; lo and behold, here is all the great information you have compiled on BL. Such a treat! Thank you so much for doing all this!!

Ruth Ellen Howdyshell, also from the class of '75, has been doing a newsletter annually for our class, so it has kept me up to date with them, but I really enjoyed reading about others from previous and later classes. I have not done a good job of keeping in touch with anyone. The only person I still have contact with is Laura (Rutledge) Simmons, as her parents have property on Orcas Island, in Washington, where my folks live.

So here is the info for this web page:

As I said, after leaving BL I graduted from Los Alamos High School, in New Mexico, then attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, majoring in child psychology. It took me awhile, and a couple of college changes, but I finally received my degree, from Brookhaven College outside of Dallas, Texas; I ended up majoring in early childhood special education, which I taught for several years before getting more training and going into social services, which I have been doing for 15+ years (yikes!)

Before settling down I spent time in California, Texas, Wisconsin, and Florida (where I spent time with Jodi Harris - class of '74). I spent time in food service, retail sales, banking, and as a nanny for 7 children. I also visited Europe and Asia.

Currently I am busy teaching Lifeskills activites for the Department of Human Services in Oregon as part of their Welfare to Work program, and I also coordinate an Indpendent Living program for students with special needs who are about to exit high school. Both programs are similar in that I do barrier removal, counseling, and employment related activities with the goal being self-sufficiency. The work is stimulating and frustrating! The hardest part is watching people try to fill the emptiness in their lives with external things (drugs, alcohol, money, etc.) when the only "cure" is Jesus.

I have been happily (for the most part!!) married to Larry, a builder, for 23 years. We have 2 children, Lauren, 20, who is a Junior at Oregon State University, majoring in child psychology, and Ben, 17, who we are praying will make it through his senior year of high school mostly unscathed!! I also have a son, Ryan, who is 24; he manages a restaurant in Corvallis, OR.

We live on the beautiful Oregon coast, near the town of Lincoln City. I spend most of my free time in my garden, taking my dogs for walks on the beach or around the lake near our house, and attempting to play golf with my husband (I call it 'hit and giggle.')

We still make several trips a year to Orcas Island, where my heart is; someday I will figure out a way to get my husband to move there!! My father recently passed away, at age 87, but my mother, who is also 87, is still there, so I will have a good excuse to make lots of trips this year!!

I have only been back to North Carolina 4 times since leaving BL, and have not been back to the old campus. I plan on going there this fall when I accompany my mother to Montreat to visit her sisters.

I would love to hear from any and everyone who wants to get in touch from "back in the day." My e-mail address is: myers9@hotmail.com

Warmest Regards to all - Robyn Montgomery Myers, Class of '75

– Signed on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 at 19:46 (EDT)

Greetings and salutations!

A lot of water has passed under the bridge of life since leaving Ben Lippen 36 years ago. I came across this website while looking for old friends, Mark Miller, and Bill Wills.

For those who had Bob Weeber for freshman Bible class, remember the song he taught us, "Christ is all I need!" At the time I thought the song rather simple but now 36 years later I know the profound meaning of it. Though my time at BL was rather rocky, setting perhaps the record for detention hall (6 consecutive months of campus restriction) in my two year stint there minus 2 weeks, because I ran away from boarding school to find out about the reality of God my own way.

Mr. Elniff, my counsellor my sophmore year, spent alot of time trying to convince me that I wasn't a Christian due to my behavior and took me off of sports, which I loved, and spent many an hour with me in his office lifting weights for my phys ed experience while all the while trying to get me saved. Remember how Mr. Elniff would hardly be seen without his cup of coffee in hand and a pencil in his ear. Even though in those days I was getting "saved" every week when the "hell, fire, and brimstone" guest preachers would come and speak in chapel hour, I now know that I needed just to keep my slate clean (I John 1:9) in order to lay hold of His peace in my life.

Though I learned much from my Ben Lippen days and treasure my memory of the Fortosis family, had I to do it over I would have elected to spend more time with my earthly father, Cameron Townsend, who to this day is my greatest roll model of Christ. I was a late bloomer and married to my lovely Latin wife, Soli (Soledad), at the ripe old age of 36 and we now have 6 special blessings we are responsible for: Elaine (15), Priscilla (13), Christina (11), Amy (8), Cameron (4), and Janna (3). I was only three when I asked Jesus into my heart at a Billy Graham Crusade in 1956 and my favorite song since is "Now I belong to Jesus and Jesus belongs to me!"

I enjoyed reading of others I knew at Ben Lippen like Bob Major, Sarah Perry, Bob & Chris Fortosis. If it hadn't have been for the kindness of David and Steve Fortosis, I probably would have received the left foot of fellowship from Doc. Thanks to Doc's letter of recommendation I was accepted to Moody where I spent my freshman year of college hoping to be a missionary pilot.

I did end up being a pilot until last year when my contracts ran out, flying for the US Department of Agriculture photographing farm land in Georgia, the Carolinas and Alabama. As was Jesus prayer, my longing for us is that we be one with the Father and His Son. Growing up in missionary communities was a great heritage I'll always treasure and of sorts that was what Ben Lippen was for us all. I now know that that is what God wants to bless us with starting on this side of eternity. Psalm 133:1, and Psalm 107 are a reminder to me that our heavenly Father does want to take us out of the wilderness experiences and put us in "cities of habitation". Of course Satan is trying to puff us up in our individualism (divide and conquer routine).

At age 52, my 8 year old daughter Amy told me today, "Daddy, when you die, I'm going to miss you!" The greatest treasure we have is God and the brotherhood of believers. Let's run the race to win even if it we are just door keepers for His kingdom. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" - let's sup with Him and one another.

Just to mention a few names I would like to hear from, Lloyd Gay, Steve & Ann Olson, Steve Fortosis, Dave Fortosis, Ben Wood, The Wood brothers and Hatcher brothers from Mexico, Mark Miller (who I would have thought would be a Supreme Court Justice or President by now), Bill Wills (who I lovingly practiced my primitive knowledge of electricity on when hooking up 90 volts to the toilet seat as we were "sweetmates" sharing the same bathroom), Dave McQuilkin, who gave up the idea of being my roommate when I devoured all his jar of Tang, Steve Longacre who suffered after Bob, _____ Jones who shaved his head along with Longacre to protest strict hair codes, Jack ______ who passed out X-lax chewing gum during class for a prank that caused his demise in 1968 though I really believe he had a tender heart if you looked beyond the surface, Charles Sexton the chess champ, the Boulifant twins, Debbie Simmons, Dorothy Grimaldi, Ray Payne the curve breaker and great soccer player, Mike Watson, Bob Reed, Howard Hawkins, Miss Van Engen who gave me a new found love for English class which I dreaded previously, Betty Van Engen, Faith & Sam Playfair, Faith Hopkins, Roberta Mummy (?), and the French guy Eddie something or other - sorry Eddie, can't remember your last name.

What wonderful memories of my Ben Lippen family! During my sophmore year girls were allowed to ride on the same buses as the guys to sporting events. Anyone remember Kmart Baptist and the Aliance Church downtown? I miss Coaches Mac and Hathaway. Anyone remember the basketball sensation, Nelson something or other, oh yea, Phil Nelson. Remember Lloyd Gay's awesome head shots in soccer. In freshman basketball playing against Eliada Home I came off the bench and scored my first two points for the other team - how embarrassing! How many of us learned how to do our own laundry and ironing while at BL!

Thanks Becky for getting this website going, though I don't know you. God bless all of you and keep you 'till we meet again,

Bill

ps. Ed Capps and his super brother Joe were the greatest hillbillies I ever met and what great athletes from East Flat Rock - they were two of my favorite heros. Joe took a leave after kissing who in the haunted house we had (Anita Brower was it?)? I don't want to start any rumors. I felt bad for Joe - we shouldn't have been celebrating Halloween anyway. Did anyone else spend an average of two weeks every winter in the infirmary with flu besides me? Don't remember the nurse's name but she was great. Ya'll take care! How could I close without making mention of the faithful janitor and his wife - Mr. and Mrs. Smiley!

– Signed on Thursday, July 21, 2005 at 4:19 (EDT)

Grace Townsend Goreth

I'm so glad to be reconected with my class of 1965. Even though I was not able to graduate with my class (I had to leave my Junior year due to medical reasons) I still consider it my class. I have wonderful memories of my time there.

My husband Tom and I have been married for 39 years (Feb 12, 1966) We have three childred, Joy 31, Faith 29, at Joel 24. We also have three granddaughters from our daughter Faith. We are missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Thanks for staying in touch,
Grace Townsend Goreth


– Signed on Monday, June 23, 2005 at 11:45 (EDT)

– Signed on Monday, May 23, 2005 at 19:25 (EDT)

Hi, Becky!! Guess who, it's me Ted again.

I thought I might as well throw a little more junk on my Guest Book entry. Nobody ever reads it so machts nichts!!

I was in the 9th grade and lived in the "wing" The year was 1948. One of the residents of the wing was a boy I'll call "Penny Buddington". Well, it seems Penny sent a sweater to the laundry in Asheville. They picked up and delivered each week. Well, wouldn't you know that all of a sudden Penny was running around hollering someone stole his sweater. Now, stealing at Ben Lippen Boys School was a chargeable offense just a tad short of murder.

Accordingly, the administration was determined to find out who the thief was. They announced the theft at supper and noted that if the sweater didn't show up in a noted time a "fession session" would be imposed.

No sweater so, on Saturday all students were assembled in the study hall/chapel and instructed to sit at a desk and keep your mouth shut and sit there and sit there and sit there unit someone confessed or the cows came home. I don't remember how long it was " 'till the cows came home", but come home they did and the criminal was still at large. After sitting in a wooden desk half the day, they let us go and promised "further action would ensue"

Shortly after, during the week, Penny's roommate noticed that after opening his Asheville laundry, Penny surreptitiously and quickly shoved something under his bed. The roommate got down peered under the bed and THERE IT WAS" the purloined garment. Penny's lapse of memory would not go unnoticed.

He didn't say anything to Penny but, within the shortest time span since creation, everyone in the wing did. Did they ever.

If it hadn't been compassion on our part, and woul;d have made such a mess,we would have done away with Penny right there on the spot. We did assemble and constituted what could only be called a kangaroo court. After considering torture, amputation of limbs, blinding and a few other appropriate measures we came up with a plan.

THE PLAN: It being the dead of the winter, we figured we could put the elements to our use. We would trick Penny to come out in front of the Lodgein the darkness of evening. We would then seize Penny, pin him to the ground, strip off has clothes, all of them, and run them up the flagpole. Everything worked as planned. To give the proceedings a semblence of legality, the charges were read before commencing justice. Penny was helpless to extricate himself from his predicament. A short but futile struggle ensued.

Now, in the matter of running the clothes up the flag pole, the scheme was to run them to the top and then secure the lanyard as high up on the pole as possible. Being the tallest boy on campus, I had little chance to escape the honor of tying that knot on the pole. As a matter of fact, we thought it better and another lad stood on my shoulder tied the knot and justice was served ted feet up. We all fled the scene. Penny, having no clothes on and nearing death by freezing, chose a route to his safety we had not anticipated. Here is where the Law of Unintended Consequences arrived. He did not run through the lobby as we expected, but ran to the headmasters home down the road and presented himself at the door late in the night as a spectacle neither the headmaster or his wife had ever seen.

Whether he was invited in or not, I do not know but his somewhat unusual lack of attire begged the question of what was going on. Buddy with no reticence explained exactly what was going on. Identifying the assailants, at least in one case, was no problem since, my height not only stood out on campus, but it also was the first name his memor coughed up at the faculty inquiry.

I was dead in the water.

I and other kangaroos got our own just punishment. Back in the study hall again, sitting on those hard wooden chairs, the administration obliged us to write 2000 times, are you ready for this?, "A MOB IS THE SCUM OF THE CROWD THAT RISES TO THE TOP"

Two thousand times and none of this writing one word repetitively down the paper vertically, and then doing the same thing going on to the next word and so forth, a scheme that could up the process substantially. Nope. it was sentence by sentence 'till the whole bloody thing was done.

Was my punishment effective? Well, it's been 57 years since I finished writing the last sentence. I haven't forgot it for one minute neither have I run anyone's pants up a flagpole.

Ted Eckman

– Signed on Monday, February 28, 2005 at 19:25 (EDT)

I only spent one year at BL, but it was the best year of High School, and I really was disappointed that I had to leave. Being the only BK "Bartenders Kid) among the PKs and MKs was an interesting mix. I roomed with Daniel Grossman if anyone has heard from him. There were so many great kids and I would really like to know what has happened to folks. God has blessed my life richly and I owe part of the strength of my faith to my time at BL. I love the pictures of the old campus and can almost smell the cinnamon coffee cakes we ate for breakfast. Hope to hear from some of you. God Bless! Marcus

– Signed on Sunday, April 25, 2004 at 23:28:31 (EDT)

Hello BL Friends,
I have enjoyed reading many of the updates... It is good to get the perspective of the past to present.
I have enjoyed living in California now since 1975. After one year at Bryan College in TN with many of my BL classmates, I transferred to Biola University. I graduated as an art major and have been very blessed to make a living drawing all these years. I have a rubber stamp business which you can check out at stampendous.com
Although I was married for about 5 years, I have been on my own again ever since 1989. I'm like the cartoon lady who says "Oohhh! I forgot to have children!" I have 2 cats and a turtle named Daisy--all low maintenance. I do have some 50 employees though and they challenge me to improve my parenting skills every day. My parents moved out here from Texas 5 years ago. I enjoy having them nearby. They are in good health and even come down to the office most days to help out in so many ways.
My church, Yorba Linda Friends Church, is a very dynamic and ever-changing fellowship. (no longer any Quaker resemblance) I enjoy many ministries there including choir, Bible study and outreach. I am thankful for many wonderful friends. A group of some 30 singles all went on a tour of Italy a couple years ago. That was such fun.
Actually I enjoy lots of travel for business. The people I work with are wonderful. In February, I had a 3 week trip with distributors in England, Belgium, Holland and France. Later this year I will go to New Zealand. It is wonderful to have friends all around the world to visit! In Australia over a year ago, I fell off a motorcycle and that was a challenge--to teach rubber stamping one-handed and then make it back home.
Well, take care everyone and thanks for sharing, Fran

– Signed on Friday, April 23, 2004 at 20:36:18 (EDT)

What a GREAT site! It's been so much fun to catch up with old friends. An update since I left Ben Lippen:
I went to Moody and then to Byran College and got my degree in Christian Education. I moved to Ruston with my parents and met Jimmy in the summer of 1984. We were married in February of 1985 - yes, we knew each other 6 months when we married, but when you know it's right, go for it. We have a 15 year old son named Josh. He is a GREAT kid!! We could only have one but God put so much good in that one! We are involved in a new church - Crossroads - here in Ruston. I'm the Children's Ministry Coordinator and work 3/4 time. If you're ever in the area, look us up. We're just 1 mile off I-20. Give us a call at 318-251-2233.

– Signed on Friday, April 23, 2004 at 15:29:27 (EDT)

Anyone up for a visit in London England, write me a line!

– Signed on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 at 08:01:48 (EDT)

Just found this place. I hope to see some friends at the 10 year reunion! David & I are back in Cola after going to school in Charleston. He's teaching chemistry at Irmo and I'm a peds physical therapist at Columbia Rehab Clinic. A big hello to all of 'yall! God Bless!

– Signed on Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 22:58:25 (EST)

Hey there everyone! I was so excited when I stumbled upon this site (I was searching for something completely different on google) Anyway, how wonderful to hear about some of you. Let me give you a brief overview of the last few years. I graduated dental hygiene school in 2000, went on to MUSC for my bachelor's degree, Then, I got married to Mark Terry (a CIU grad) in 2001. We moved to Florida and then back to Columbia. Now we have settled into to Greenwood (a beautiful town!). We bought our first house here in g-wood. Mark is a youth pastor and I am working part time. We love it hear! No children yet- but we can't wait to be parents. It truely is hard to believe how fast the time goes. Hope to hear from some of you soon! Take care. Jennifer

– Signed on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 13:58:42 (EST)

How things have changed since my original posting. After being scarificed on the altar of shareholder value, also known as being laid off, I found myself in Florida working for the Department of Health. Now I'm working for a small medical practice management software company who was just swallowed in to the WebMD group of companies. I live about two miles from the beach and spend most of my free time sailing my small catamaran. While my financial rewards are not as great, I discovered the difference between wants and needs. What I've lost on the financial side, I have gained n quality of life and friends. I still stay in touch with Karl Stegenga. He's working as a lobbyist in DC and even has his own picture on their web page. Go to http://www.hyjekfix.com/indexpersonnel.htm to see his picture and tell him how much weight he has gained.:-)

– Signed on Friday, March 05, 2004 at 12:34:25 (EST)

I was THRILLED to find this site! It was great to catch up with a few from our class and from the years we were at BL. I went to Moody after graduating and then to Bryan College to finish my degree in Christian Ed. I met Jimmy in 1984 and we married in February of 1985. We have a son, Josh, who is 15 and 6 feet tall - he obviously didn't get the height from my side of the family! We are part of a new church here in Ruston and I am the Children's Ministry Coordinator. Jimmy is a Certified Professional Landman. We live 1 mile from I-20 so if you are ever in this area, please stop by. Mom and Dad have moved back to the Asheville area - they are in Weaverville and go to Weaverville Presbyterian Church. Dad works part time at the Folk Art Center on the Parkway. Mr. Elnif does their taxes and Mr. Curtis is in a Bible study with Dad. They've seen a few other old BLers too.

– Signed on Thursday, March 04, 2004 at 11:29:16 (EST)

Hey everyone,
Its nice to be in contact again. I think about you all often. I'm doing great. I've been married almost 6 years, and we have 3 kids. Hannah is 3yrs. Caleb is 16mo. and Abigail is 8 wks. My husband, Steve, is getting ready to start a masters program at UNC Chapel Hill.
I hope to see all of you at our 10 yr. If you have time please email me and let me know how you are!!

– Signed on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 at 14:05:54 (EST)

Guess it is time that I updated this thing. I will be starting my 15th year as one of the directors of New Life Bible Camp. At the camp, I am in charge of developing the camp curricullum, speaking, and leading worship through music and drama. Guitar and song writing are still a first love for me. I don't think Richard Peck realized what a monster he was creating when he and his sister Anne helped produce my first album 10 years ago, the tape that contained the song about our Ben Lippon days. I have produced 6 more recording projects independently, all containing original Christian music. I have just released my newest project, "the Mystery and the Majesty." Making tapes and CD's has been a way for me to supplement my income because the camp is run by missionaries who have to raise support. The Lord has provided for all my needs, and part of that provision has come directly through the musical projects. If you would like to purchase a copy of "The Mystery and the Majesty" send a check for $15.00 (includes shipping and handling) payable to Andy Maples, in care of New Life Bible Camp, 451 Tarwater Road, Buffalo Mills, PA 15534.

I would appreciate prayer as we enter the summer program. We are expecting a huge turn out. We are developing a theme based on the summer Olympics called R.A.C.E., which stands for "Running After Crowns Eternal." I am leaving for Jamaica this coming March. I have been going to Kingston the past three years with a mission team to the Caribbean Centre for the Deaf.

If any of you are in southwest PA, I have a lodge with 100 bunks. Stop by for a visit.

Thanks, Becky. I keep forgetting that you don't live all that far from me. We ought to get together next time I sing in the DC area.

Andy Maples

PS. I forgot to mentioned that I graduated from Trinity College and Semiary with a degree in Theology this past year

– Signed on Saturday, February 21, 2004 at 19:50:24 (EST)

WOw! There are so many old people on this site! Ha! Jsut teasing! I am excited to see so much communication between old classmates so many years after we graduated! Would love to hear from you guys if you want to drop a line! Hope to run into you soon!

– Signed on Thursday, February 19, 2004 at 20:09:59 (EST)

It has been so much fun walking down memory lane on the mountain of "rust" as some of the boys called the place.
The oval photograph of the main building shows what once to be the Asheville city post office. We were told that CBC bought it and moved it to the hill top. I attended the first 8th grade class. Most of our classes were in the basement in the wing that was opposit the front interence. There was a large table with benches on two sides at which we sat and the teacher stood at the head of it to teach. To help cut school expenses, we each were assigned tasks to perform. I recall the wing that was at the West end was still under construction. We had no gym. The basketball team practiced on the gravel floor in Huston Hall. There was only one basket, because if there had been one at the other end, the players would have to climb donn a long hill to fetch the ball should it miss the backboard. Do any of you remember the wooden pews in that open sided structure? They looked so huge to an eight grader, especially when we were asked to move them out of the way and to one side for the basketball team. Many services were held in that building until the chapel was built. At least then we were out of the wind. Demerits!! I was scared to death to do anything wrong. I can't recall of being awarded any my first year. I was kidded often because of that. The older guys called me 'PLD' which meant Presious Little Danny. But I made up for that later on.
I do recall the army truck that was mentioned. We went on the back side of the hill, cut down some pretty big trees and made logs of them, then pushed them down to a less steep area. There we cut them into stakes to drive into the sides of the athletic field to help contol erosion.
Once, I thought we would lose David Rucker as he drove down that hillside to the field and the truck almost rolled over. The Good Lord watched over us with lots of love.
The Headmaster was once asked, "How come we don't have any girls here?" He told us walls could never be made that tall. Affairs with mixed company were always a chuckle. It seemed very where one looked, there was either a faculty member or a staffer to make sure we never touched our guests. We called it the 'six inch' rule; we couldn't get within six inches of a girl! Mnay, many demerits for holding hands and possible dismissal for kissing!
Smoking was just about the rule that was broken most. I did smoke, but not until the 11th grade; but never on campus. We would sneak into movies in Asheville by getting a friend from church to buy extra tickets. Then once he was inside, he would open a fire escape and we would go in. He had tickets if he ever was caught. When I was a Senior, I met a very pretty young lady at a party Montreat School for Girls hrld for us. I was the Football "King" and she was the "Queen"; we had never seen one another before. Anyway, it led to a great friendship that later became intense after I graduated. She would become my wife and mother to my two sons, Danny, Jr. and Bobby. Some years later, we parted our ways and I never saw the children for over 30 years, but that is a different story. We finally met in 1995 and my boys and I are closer than ever now!
I spent about 30 years in the military, both during Korea and Viet Nam. I retired in '81 and have two other great sons by my present wife with whom I credit with saving my life by pulling me out of the bottle. I thank God for allowing her to come into my life. She was named Kim, Suk Cha when I met her, but now I call her my Yobo! That is a word of endearment used by Korean people for their spouses.
THE PUCKER FACTOR is a book I wrote about my Vietnam tour of duty. It is true and uses a few unpleasent words to Christians, but it is as it happened. As I relate near the end, I could have gone to jail for the things my comrades and I did, but my God has forgiven me once again.
Get it and read it! It has blessed some of the most religious people I know. It is in all the book stotes. Just ask for it by my name or its title.
Feel free to contact me on the web or by phone: 850-863-9715, dukesplace1@earthlink.net

– Signed on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 18:32:41 (EST)

Well it's hard to believe that it has been thirty years since the Class of '74 sang "Be Thou My Vision", traded hugs, shed tears and then set out to change the world...

...but then here we are...the world has indeed changed, the question is what part have we played? It would be great to get everyone together to share the events of the past thirty years with each other but first we need to locate everyone. Becky, do you have a master list? Does anyone have a master list? Should we develop a seperate chat page through something like yahoo groups that would let all of us check in and comunicate in a freeform style without messing up the alumni page that Becky has created here? Let's get the conversation going in ernest...

BTW (computereese for "by the way")...after BL I was on the "ten year" college program...I attended Montreat Anderson Junior College and graduated, then went to University of South Florida in Tampa, UNC-Asheville and finally settled at NC State where I graduated in 1983. I am a licensed Architect, I have designed and built from Florida to New York, I left consulting and joined government and now head up the Department of Code Enforcement for New Hanover County (Wilmington, NC) North Carolina.

I met my wonderful wife, Diana, at Montreat in 1975. We were married in 1978 and we just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We have 3 children...a son in college at ECU (19), a daughter in HS (15) and a son in Middle School (13).

Life has been hard...but God has been faithful...

– Signed on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 12:05:50 (EST)

Well better late than never. I finally did a search on the net after giving up on the BLS site for alumni info. I also just got my yearbooks out of storage where they had been since 1993 when my husband Nick and I left for Bangkok to work for Graco. After BLS, I graduated from ODU (Old Dominion University) with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a BA in French. I married Nick in 1991. We lived in Bangkok for 3-1/2 years. Our son Gabriel was born in 1995 in Bangkok. After our return to the US, I worked for (TI) Texas Instruments as a Metrology Equipment Engineer in the Kilby Center (wafer fab) and Nick worked for Plasmaquest doing design work for plasma etchers. Since then, Nick joined TI as an Equipment Engineer in DMAT on the DMD (digital micro mirror device - the chip that is in the high definition TV's and digital projectors at the cinemas) (MEMS)working on the die attach/metrology equipment. I stopped working as a engineer and our daughter Viola was born in 2000. Since then, I've been doing lots of quilting and recently got a Nolting longarm quilting machine that takes up the entire dining room.
I'd love to hear from any of the BLS classmates/faculty and if you ever visit the Dallas, TX area call us at (972)664-0293.

– Signed on Friday, February 06, 2004 at 14:21:58 (EST)

Wanted to change e-mail in hopes of hearing from someone :)

– Signed on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 at 11:45:33 (EST)

Things have been wonderful for me since I have graduated from Ben Lippen. I tried several colleges and finally ended up at AIU in Atlanta, Ga where I studied Interior Design. While there I lived w/ Cat McKoewn (BL Grad)and met my huspand Bob who was in Law school at the time. I graduated in 1998 we moved back to Columbia so I could work in my Dad's architural firm. Bob followed shortly after and we where married in Feb.1999. I am also the proud Mom of Talia Maldonado born of June 2003. I hope all is well and to see everyone at our 10 year reunion this year.

– Signed on Thursday, January 29, 2004 at 16:49:44 (EST)

Greetings and Salutations fellow Ben Lippen Alumni,

The class of 1984 is planning a reunion for August/September of 2004. We have run into some pricing issues with the people who presently own the property. Crest Properties, is asking for $3,000.00 for using the chalet on a Friday night (four hour), and $8,000.00 for a Saturday. I thought that someone here might be able to help us with negotiating a better price. I am not opposed to paying for our use, but lets be realistic here those prices are really better geared for Bill Gates. If there is someone that can talk to these people on our behalf, we would greatly appreciate it. I thought I read an article in the paper that assigned a certain person we should talk to. They can pretty much count on repeat business with all of the other classes as well.

Our class is communicating through e-mails about this and even catching up on old times as I write this. I hope to find other people who I went to Ben Lippen with by using this guest-book in the future.

E-mail me if you would like.

Randy Hall - hallznr@bellsouth.net


– Signed on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 at 23:06:09 (EST)

Thanks to Tracey Jackman (another island-girl) for linking me to this site and to Becky! It's been wonderful reading all the entries from former (not old!) classmates and seeing what has happened in the past 20 years.

– Signed on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 at 14:13:49 (EST)

Here's a quick update. Still married to Art, who is now a Captain in the US Coast Guard and working in Washington DC. We only have two children left at home, Christie 14 and Tori 12. Betsy and Katie are both at Bryan College. Andy is an Ensign in the Coast Guard. Erik is a Lieutenant jg and will be getting married in August. I am part of a 'faith based' group of four women that goes to military bases/posts and speaks to wives on marriage, child rearing, and stress. It is a neat ministry and greatly needed during this time of huge deployments. We also have a home with an 'open door' policy...almost every weekend finds us with guests of one sort or another. About 12 midshipmen from the Naval Academy call this home and their families often visit us. We also have a German girl, Alisha, living with us and she has definitely been adopted into the family. Would love to hear from anyone from my one year at BL!

– Signed on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 17:16:32 (EST)

Wow!
What fun I am having reading these posts. I am happy to have been a part of Ben Lippen and all those great people.

Lets see... I briefly attended WCU in 1984. Went back to California and worked in all facets of the construction industry and then became an EMT. After burning out on driving ambulance in Los Angeles I joined the Army. I married and divorced a year later. I spent some time in the desert in Iraq. I briefly left the Army in 1991 and was married again. That union (2nd marriage) lasted a year and a half. I went back into the Army and joined the Airborne Infantry for some real adventure. In 1994 I married again to a wonderful woman, Zinah, and then left the Army in 1996. I moved to Atlanta, Ga. and have been here ever since. I am presently working for a REIT (real estate investment trust) and have a newborn son David Warren Hall Born Sept. 20th, 2003. He looks just like me. I might ask him later if he wants to go off to Boarding school:) In the last couple of years I have spoken with Mark Blowers, but lost contact. IV Whitman, who has come back to Asheville, and Royster Peterson, who lost his father on flight 93. Royster came down for a weekend and we went to a YES concert together (major pink slip).

All is well for me right now as I recover from having my spine fused. So if I show up to the 20th year re-union please don't squeeze me too much.

Our class, 1984, is e-mailing each other like crazy! Let me know if you need an e-mail address.

Oh yeah, Phil Mullins and I are looking for Steve Goulas so let us know if you Ashevillians know of his whereabouts.

Randy Hall III, AKA Overton Randolph Hall, III
e-mail me! hallznr@bellsouth.net

– Signed on Tuesday, December 02, 2003 at 22:47:40 (EST)

Hello! I graduated from BL in 88, and my three years at Ben Lippen were probably the most memorable years of my life. Doing domestics, eating at the Charlette (spell?), socializing after supper, running cross-country under Mr.Harvey, playing the guitar with Mr.White... all are great memories.

I have taught at Ben Lippen for 7 years, and I am in my 8th year teaching English as a Second Language classes. My wife and I are also houseparents (dorm counselors) for guys. We have a 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter. Mr.White lives in the same house with the boarding students. It is an honor to be able to serve the Lord here at Ben Lippen, and please pray that Christ will be reflected in my life so that Ben Lippen students can draw closer to God.

Keiichi Naruke

– Signed on Saturday, November 22, 2003 at 02:47:40 (EST)

I don't know how Becky found my e-mail address, but I'm very glad she did! It was fun to find this site and catch up on a few people from my BL days. Here's a brief synopsis of my life over the past almost 30 years - does that sound scary or what?! After graduation I attended and graduated from South Eastern College of the Assemblies of God in Lakeland, Florida, where my parents had taught for many years. I met and married Ann there and then we went off to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary outside of Boston. I graduated in 1980 while pastoring a small country church in Connecticut. From there we moved to Bethlehem, PA where I served as an associate pastor at the First Baptist Church until 1984. Since May of 1984 - almost 20 years now - I have served as the pastor of Sawmill Baptist Church in Powell, OH - a suburban community just outside of the capital city of Columbus, OH. The church is small but vibrant and has obviously been a good match for me.

Tragically, my first marriage ended in divorce in 1991 - easily the most difficult time in my life. But two wonderful kids came out of that marriage. I have a daughter, Natasha, who is 23 now. She lives and works in Naples, Florida. I have a son, Ian, who will be 21 this week. He is attending college in Florida. Some years ago the Lord led a wonderful woman, Cheryl, into my life and we're about to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. She has a daughter, Kelsey, who is 13.

The Lord has been so faithful and good to me despite all the ups and downs of life that all of us experience. I continue to be grateful for those three years at BL. I happened to visit the old campus in June of 1994 and it was a very emotional experience for me. Wandering around the old buildings and grounds... seeing their disrepair... being flooded with memories of happy, meaningful times there... reviewing my own life up until then - it was sort of overwhelming.

In any case, I'd love to hear from any of you. God bless you! Rick Breusch

– Signed on Tuesday, November 18, 2003 at 15:00:09 (EST)

Though I left Ben Lippen just short of graduation in my senior year, I am one more example of the incredible grace, mercy and love of Jesus Christ. A few more years of rebellion led to a complete brokenness and whole-hearted surrender to the Lord. From that time forward, I have served the Lord in ministry in one way or another. For the last 7 years, it has been full time. I was a missionary in Croatia and attending a missions conference in Austria when I met my husband Scott. He is an associate pastor here at Calvary Chapel of the Fingerlakes and together we serve the Lord in a multitude of ways in our church. Our son Bret is just about to graduate from Bible college and also feels called to the ministry. We have two cats...one of which needs major demonic deliverance...or he may just be a little brain damaged. For anyone out there who knew me, I first ask your forgiveness if my life in any way affected you negatively, and secondly, feel free to contact me because the Lord has certainly made true His Word of making beauty out of ashes and all things becoming new!!

– Signed on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 at 18:34:10 (EST)

If I knew this site existed 10 years ago... I would have kept in touch with more people... Anybody who read this message (if you know who I am), please write me.

– Signed on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 at 15:52:01 (EST)

The long and short of it. Went to Mars Hill after finishing there came back to BL and worked there for 6 years got married to Darlene had three kids Zed (24) Nicole (21) and Moriah (18). They all live in Indanapolis now Zed works for a CD manufactuer and Nicole and Moriah are going to IUPUI Nicole is a business major and Moriah wants to be a Vet. Now working at a construction material supplier near the Asheville Airport still officiating both soccer and basketball. See Susan Bishop Strickland alot she still is living in Burnsville a small town about 40 miles north east of Asheville. Some of you might remember my sisters Mary lives in Mendian LA, Barb is in Winston, and Libby is in Meridian MS where she is homeschooling her 11 kids. For those of you who took Bookkeeping from my Dad he is still teaching at Montreat College although he saids this will be his last year. Thanks for this.

– Signed on Friday, November 07, 2003 at 18:02:00 (EST)

Hi everyone from the old home of Ben Lippen.

– Signed on Friday, November 07, 2003 at 17:26:02 (EST)

So Great! Thanks for this chance to get back to my youth.
My 8th grade class was the 1st one for the school. I remember Mr. Hudson well as well as my other classmates. Yes, disaplain was very strict! We had a special rule when it came to dating on campus or at church. It was known as the six inch rule. It seemed that if we got within six inches of a young lady, we were given hard stares or slight coughs by the faculity. We dared not to ever hold hands with our date where we could be seen. I guess I was scared to death to break any of the rules and for this, I picked up anickname of PLD, Precious Little Danny. But the Freshman year came around and my fears let up and I lost the PLD. Yes, I recall the guys who had the misfortune of getting caught and had to walk that dagblamed log all day. I believe that punishment served to turned the boys against ever returning. It seemed to work.

I have so very great memories of my five years at the Mountain of Trust there just isnt rook for them on this page.If anyone wants to hear more, like the time we cut logs into small stakes and drove them into the hill side egdes of the athletic field to prevent weather corrosion.
Or the big green monster that was the school bus and how we would relieve ourselves out the rear door when the driver was in a hurry to get home and wouldn't stop. Then one time the school was emptied when the guy that was in chargeof the furnace took a leak on the hot clinkers. You never want to know how that stunk. But I do like to think of the much better times I spent visiting Montreat Girls School on Saturdays. I met my wife, Carolyn there. She has now gone home to be with God. I have two fine sonss from our union; Dan Jr, who was born deaf, and Robert who lives in San Diago. But that wasn't meant to be and we went our separate ways.

I served in the military for over 27 years during Korea and Viet Nam. As a matter of fact, I have just written a book on my 20 months tour of duty in that country. It should be on the market by December. I call it THE PUCKER FACTOR. It can be ordered over the web or by phone from 1st Books Library. If anyone needs more info, please contact me.

I have so many memories of Ben Lippen, I cannot just stop with a few. Some of the guys would take the law into their own hands if theyfelt they had been wronged by one or more of their fellow classmen. "Pink Bellies" and 'pants up the flag pole' were just a couple of ways revenge was mteted.

But I have good memories as well! Billy Grahm's visits, thegreat meals I was invited to by local citizens, the few victories our football team had, and the fellowships we had one with another. Ben lippen Boys School will always have a special place in my heart. God Bless Everyone. Daniel



– Signed on Wednesday, November 05, 2003 at 22:07:18 (EST)

12 years of working in television and cable and soon I look forward to maybe becoming a teacher myself. I am also trying to become a writer, but that is another conversation completely.

– Signed on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 at 18:54:04 (EST)

I'm delighted to find this web site. BL made a huge impact on my life during my high school years. Helped me separate from a really dysfunctional pastor's family of origin. Now I've been a practicing clinical psychologist in Fullerton, CA for the past 25 years. My wife, Bethyl Joy, is also a psychologist in our mom and pop psych shop. also work with a group of half dozen more mental health professionals. We've adopted a couple of Russian kids in 1996, age 12 and 6 at the time. Now Olya is a sophomore in college and Dima is an eighth grader. We're active in our local church and have an interesting ministry with lots of international exchange students in and our of our house, staying for a year or so as they attend Cal State Fullerton University, across the street from us. Overall, we're very busy, happy, engaged in trying to bloom where we're planted.
Since BL I've tried to branch out of so many rules that are legalistic in nature. Will hare a favorite quote from an author I love;meanwhile, all for now. Feel free to write:


All the world is one great sacramental loaf. We are not�nor will we ever be, God save us�solitary intelligences spinning in the dark void of space. He crowds upon us from Sheol to the sea; he jostles our thoughts along the pathways in our brains. He hides in the bushes, jumping out in flames to startle us into seeing. He sequesters himself in stables and swaddling so as to take us unawares. He veils himself in flesh, the same flesh that drips into fingers at the end of my arms and sprouts into hair on my head.

Either the world is holy or it�s not. Either the creator�s work is a sign of himself or it�s a sham. Where else can one draw the line between sacred and profane except around all the cosmos? For "profane" meant, originally, outside the temple, and all creation was, in the beginning, a temple for God�s �very good.� Whenever we eat, drink, breathe, see, take anything in by any means, we are commanded to remember the sacrifice. We try to hedge in the holy to pour it into tiny, trivial cups, to make bread as pale and tasteless as possible, like fingernails. We are saying to God: Get away from me. Just so, the desert Israelites implored Moses to keep God on the mountain and not bring him down among their tents. As though our immolation by the holy were not our only hope.

Still we take the big black crayon in our hands and draw these little islands where we will let God live in the world. In the tiny cups and on the unfamiliar silver plates so cold you can see your breath on them. We cover him up with white linen napkins just as they did in the grave. We draw more lines around Bibles and sanctuaries, thus adding a few more islands to this archipelago of the holy, and there you have it. Little concentration camps for Christ. Our incremental piety bristles around the perimeters like barbed wire, hemming him in.

From And the Trees Clap Their Hands
by Virginia Stem Owens


– Signed on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 at 18:20:04 (EST)

Becky,

i saw your note and visited the site. Very nice. As you know we just finished attending our 30th reunion 2 weeks ago. it worked out really well to stay at Lake Junaluska and we had a catered lunch at Houston Hall by the new owners of the property. We were able to go into all the old buildings except the girl's dorm,(some things never change)and had the Layman's, Elniff's, Parker's and Ms.Harden with us. She brought old essay papers but they were all from your class.

We had great attendance, 24 out of 42 classmates. they came from England, CA., RI, MA. NJ, Memphis, IN, IL, OH, PA and etc. i was the closest attendee (Greenville SC). I started working to locate my classmates about 9 months prior to the reunion. I mostly used the internet and word of mouth from those that i located. I found all but 3. I contacted all by phone or internet. it was a lot of work but a lot of fun too. Well worth the effort. It was better than I had hoped. So get started on your class.

Sincerely
David Orders

– Signed on Wednesday, October 08, 2003 at 18:21:02 (EDT)

Attended our 30th class reunion which was held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Cherri Raws, Martha Seiford and David Orders did a fantastic job of getting us together and organizing the weekend. On Saturday we got to eat lunch in Houston Hall, then took pictures and walked around the old Ben Lippen Campus. The girl's dorm is used regularly by the SWAT team for training purposes! Last weekend was fantastic - seeing, hugging and sometimes crying with those who attended from the class of 1973!


– Signed on Sunday, October 05, 2003 at 10:53:53 (EDT)

Calling the Class of 63!

Help us put together our 40th anniversary book by sending a bio and recent picture to Nelle. Contact by email and we'll give more details if needed.

Nelle's bio.

After Ben Lippen, I spent a year at Northeastern Collegiate Bible Institute in Essex Fells, NJ; then transferred to CBC for a year. During those years of deepening biblical foundation, I searched for God�s mind regarding a career. Convinced that nursing was not just a �little girl�s dream,� I attended a 3-year diploma school (�65-�68) on Long Island, NY. Thoroughly enjoyed my training; immersed in the art, science and spirit of nursing. Upon graduation, I moved into Manhattan, sharing an apartment with a classmate. During that year, John and I were engaged. When he headed for Viet Nam on the USS America, I decided to back to school and complete my BSN at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
When John returned from Viet Nam we were married 10/17/70. While we were living in Levittown, PA, our first son, John F. was born 3/9/72 and Brad was born 3/8/75. From there we moved to Newport News, VA; Madrid, Spain, and Dayton, OH (where we have been for the last 21 years).
Our oldest son is married and living in Sumter, SC, (45 minutes east of CBC). Brad lives and works in Dayton. No grandchildren yet, but looking forward to God�s blessing with 1 � 12 or so. J
John retired from civil service as an internal auditor with the Air Force. He is now teaching in the computer information systems department at our local community college and loves it.
I am still nursing and have worked at least part-time for all but 2 years since graduating nursing school. I�ve worked in ICU, surgical units, a year as school nurse, but predominantly have specialized in home visitation nursing. My present, and thus far most challenging, position is a home visitation outreach to poverty level moms (mostly single teens) and their first babies. Sometimes I�m more social worker than nurse and relationship builder to encourage these families.
We are active in a Bible church, Patterson Park Church.
These last 40 years have truly been an adventure as I have been learning and stretching and, with my family, still learning and stretching in God�s grace and mercy. Awed by His goodness and sent out by His Word to carry out His mission, and in His strength to share His love. Despite my feeble attempts, He .is faithful to bring about His purposes.
Even though we�re �way beyond� the teen years, I think all will agree BL contributed to our lives, and each in a special way.
I send each of you greetings and hope you each feel free to stay in touch and come by for a visit.
Remembering the Class of �63

Nelle


– Signed on Thursday, October 02, 2003 at 05:45:42 (EDT)

I hope someone remembers those of us who joined Ben Lippen during our senior year. I have many wonderful memories of my year there and was curious to know how everyone is doing. I moved back to Guatemala after graduation keeping in touch with Monica Perez and visiting her on occasion. I have since graduated from medical school and I'm currently in my last year of residency in Family Practice at Warren Hospital-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. I married Soledad, my beautiful wife, in Guatemala and she is currently in her second year of orthodontics in UMDNJ in Newark. As I said I haven't kept in touch with anyone since graduation, but if anyone is in the northeast sometime and would like to write (and you remember who I am!) drop me a note and we'll chat. Take care and the best to all of you.
Jorge.

– Signed on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 at 14:45:33 (EDT)

9/30/03

Dear BL Alumni,

It has been quite awhile since I left BL. Years ago I returned to the old campus just to walk around, but really felt no interest in going to the current BL campus. (Having never been to Columbia, there was no "going back" involved.) As the years raced by following my graduation and the change in campus location, I was repeatedly asked to come visit by my sister Debbie. (She lives in Columbia and has three kids in BL's elementary, middle and high schools.) This year, my family's life was at a point where we could finally make the trip. (We'd planned to go to the 10th year reunion, but those plans fell apart. That was nearly 5 years ago.) Hoping to see friends from the Class of '83, my family went to Columbia this past weekend. It was a great trip. It was so nice to speak with Dave Mulholland and Gwen Lehman ('82) and Pam Lehman ('85). Unfortunately, I saw no other students that I knew. I learned from Gwen that the classes are doing the 15th year reunions in Asheville around Labor Day weekend.

So, during this past weekend, I decided to write for two reasons. First, I wanted to let my BL friends know what I was doing. Second, I wanted to ask everyone to give the reunion thing a chance.

1. A few years after graduating, I sent to our class newsletter a 'misinformation bulletin' about me living in Australia being a shepherd which was funny, but untrue. Reality is I graduated from BL, then went to Wheaton College outside Chicago and graduated in 1988 (BA History). Went to work with Don Blanton in the insurance industry down in New Orleans for a year, then moved out to Santa Cruz, California and worked for my girlfriend's father. (This girlfriend was Susan Bergstrom. Susan was my girlfriend during my senior year at Wheaton.) Then, after about a year in California, I returned to Hickory where I worked for a year doing two jobs (legal assistant by day, double knit machine operator by night and doing double shifts on Saturdays. During that year, I lived with my parents and tried to save everything to pay for upcoming law school and marriage to Susan on 7/28/90. Got married to Susan, honeymooned in Montana, went to lawschool in Buies Creek NC (Campbell Univ.), graduated and passed the NC Bar in 1993 and began practicing law in Durham NC. For the first 8 years I was representing insureds and their insurance carriers as an insurance defense attorney in Durham and then Wilmington, NC. Then, in 2001, I switched sides and am now representing injured people. I also do some business litigation for business clients in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Research Triangle Park. We have two sons: Quinn is now 4 years old and Charlie is 9 weeks old. After putting me through law school, Susan got her Master's in Physical Therapy from Duke. After Quinn was born, Susan stopped working outside the home. She has her hands full with both boys and is an incredible wife and mother. We're going to a wonderful church in Durham and I'm seriously thinking of sending my sons to a Christian private day school. (Just what we all said we'd never do.)Newsflash --- I've changed. I'm older and somewhat wiser. I'm 50 lbs heavier than when I graduated. I'm out of shape and on 9/2/03 herniated a disc in my low back so that getting back in shape will be very difficult. Thanks to genes, I'm bald as a cue ball. The weight, the absence of hair, presence of glasses and life's curveballs constantly remind me that, while I'm loved by my family and God, I'm not all that important. (My parents' lifelong prayers that I would be patient and humble have not been answered. But I am getting a healthy dose of crow pie and test upon test.) (For all of you who I ever offended, annoyed or was a bother, here are two situations that will bring you a laugh ... at my expense. I spoke at a friend's wedding and Ruth E. Gorman came up afterwards and asked if I was the same Phil Mullins that went to BL. When I said yes, Ruth E's jaw dropped and she said as only Ruth E could, "Oh Phil, you've gotten bald and fat!" Susan and Ruth E hit it off great that night and we talked until the early morning hours. Then, this weekend, I was talking to Gwen Lehman when Pam walked up and said, "Is that you Phil!?!" Pam and I talked again this weekend and she was shocked that I don't play basketball anymore. I think of Ruth E and Pam as friends and hope that they won't mind my sharing these stories.) I'm still not all that talented or smart, but I've turned my focus on my work and my family. (I should probably not focus on work so much, but it's my nature and I really do hate to lose.)

2. I hope to see some of you all at the next BL reunion. It would be great to get together regardless of whether it's in Columbia or Asheville. I want to see everyone, meet their families, hear how they've grown (up, out, etc.), and most importantly, just re-connect. I've outgrown my high school dreams of returning as the superstar professional athlete or multi-millionaire. I also have the sense to know everyone at BL could care less about whether a past class mate is rich or poor, well-educated or not, etc. I think my friends and classmates from BL would just like to visit with me. High school was a long time ago, but it would be nice to connect with my classmates and old friends from BL. I'd like to see everyone, even those I wasn't so nice to. (I was a jerk to far too many for which I can now say I am so very sorry. I'd like to say that in person.) If nothing else, I can promise I'll help you laugh. I know I've learned to laugh at myself and don't take myself as seriously as I used to. I know that everyone cannot make it and some of us that plan to make may not so, I'm asking you to post a message now. I'd love to hear from everyone I knew at BL. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a great 20th year reunion? Regardless if you plan to make the reunion or not, please write in to this listserve and also send me a post privately. Let us know what's going on with you and your family, and give us your contact information. We've lost nearly everyone's contact information so this may be the only chance we'll have to re-connect. I saw a class that was celebrating their 35th or something like that and they didn't know what had happened to about 90% of their class. I hope that won't be our story. Thanks for taking the time to send a post.
If you were a friend of mine who does not want anything to do with BL, I would still like you to write me an e-mail to let me know what you've been doing these past 15 years. Please send me a post privately at mullins@tfmattorneys.com or call me at home 919-419-1363 or work 919-682-5648. Thanks!

– Signed on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 at 16:30:11 (EDT)

Was looking back through the comments here and saw how out of date our entry was.

Karen and I are still in North Muskegon, Michigan, but we are learning what the "empty nest" phase is all about.

Eric is in his third year at USC in Los Angeles. He is majoring in Communications and working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab while in school.

Jenny and Amy are off for their freshman years in college. Jenny is at Gordon College, a Christian college just outside of Boston. She is majoring in Special Education with (at least planned) and emphasis in Spanish. Amy is at Taylor University in Indiana. She is playing softball, and, at least for now, her major is English Education.

Karen is still doing some substitute teaching locally. She is also very involved with a Christian camp about an hour north of us (on the Board, a volunteer facilitator for their ropes course, climbing wall, etc.). She also heads up a ministry at our local church encouraging prayer for our missionary family.

My title at Gospel Communications is now Director of International Internet Ministries. I am doing a fair bit of travel and having the opportunity to work with national ministry groups in different parts of the world. I am also very involved with the National Religious Broadcasters (on the Board, chairman of the Internet Committee) and with a group called the Internet Evangelism Coalition.

Thanks, Becky, for providing this way to keep up with so many people. Would love to hear from any of you "old-timers". Hard to believe that this fall is the 30th anniversary of that first "official" state championship team in soccer (first only because it was the first year we were allowed in the tournament).

Robby and Karen

– Signed on Monday, September 29, 2003 at 16:20:08 (EDT)

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for this website! Am currently living in Houston, TX with my husband Chris and our boxer, Sonny. Chris is at Rice Univ. finishing up a post-doc, and I'm at Houston Police Dept. working in Narcotics. Please, please, please email me...I'd love to hear from anyone!!

– Signed on Sunday, September 21, 2003 at 17:47:02 (EDT)

Hi everyone!

OK I moved everyone over to the Decade pages and update their Indices! I should have the Main Index updated soon!

-Enjoy!
Becky

----------

Just wanted you to know that I finally fixed the automatic script - it only took me 8 months or so! Sorry about that!

I will upload everyone's emailed updates as soon as I can - hopefully this week!

Thanks!

Becky

– Updated on Thursday, September 11, 2003 at 16:05:19 (EDT)
– Signed on Sunday, August 17, 2003 at 16:57:19 (EDT)