Our 45^th Class Reunion was Memorable & Fun!
 
Ask the record number of attendees about our 45^th Class Reunion – themed “Naught Done Yet!” held May 2022 in Lakeland – and they will definitely share all the fun they had at this three-day, four-event extravaganza reconnecting and catching up with classmates they haven’t seen in years.
 
The reunion kicked off on Friday night with a Tailgate Party at the Magnolia Building where everyone wore their favorite team shirts and were amazed at the fun table décor, crafted by Dawn Rarick Anspaugh and Denise Barnett Phillips, creatively depicting all the sports we participated in at LHS. Everyone enjoyed an expanse of traditional tailgate foods and over-the-top, entire table-top Charcuterie Board and Dessert Bar. Thanks to Beth Guskay (John Guskay’s wife and honorary Class of ’77 member) for kicking off our 50/50 Raffle as a scholarship fundraiser on this night as well.
 
Highlights of Friday night dancing to high school hits provided by a great DJ, snapping photos in front of our fun backdrop, and a presentation of personalized gift baskets (thank you to Suki Westra Janisch for their creation) to the hosts of the reunion planning meetings of the Nulli Secundus Society:

• Dana & Todd Brown
• Beth & John Guskay
• Cindy & Dennis Ross
• Susan & Mark Spicker
• Amy & Tim Whitham
• Shawn Eady Wilson

 
Thanks goes out to Mary E. Richard for heading up our fun Friday night event.
 
On Saturday morning, we were pleasantly surprised at the number of individuals who rolled out of bed and showed up at Barnett Family Park to partake of free (for ALL LHS graduates wearing orange & black) Krispy Kreme Donuts and Panera Bagels at our Donuts, Bagels, & Chat Breakfast. This casual event gave everyone an opportunity to enjoy being outdoors and catching up.

Thanks to Susan Lambe Spicker for heading up this event and for the cute décor.
 
Our Main Event & Concert was held on Saturday night at the Lake Mirror Center where we feasted on a yummy Italian Buffet (catered by Terrie Lobb Catering for everyone asking who supplied the delicious food) and a decadent Desserts Table. Once again, our phenomenal class band Phoenix took to the stage and got everyone up on their feet and dancing to hits from the ‘70s. As tradition holds, Suki Westra Janisch joined the band on stage to expertly play flute on a class favorite - “Color My World.”
 
Highlights of the evening included a hugely successful Silent Auction, thanks to coordination by Nancy Calabro Stone and Beth Guskay; the crowning of Moody Chisholm as our Reunion King and Mary E. Richard as our Reunion Queen, and hearing Julie Garvey Stanley cheer as her name was drawn as our 50/50 Raffle winner. A hilarious moment occurred when John Morgan took a poll on the number of hip and or knee replacements among our classmates. A HUGE thank you goes out to everyone sponsoring tables and going all out for our creative and competitive Table Decorating Competition and for all the fun Hospitality items they provided. Our Table Sponsors (with a description of their décor theme) included:
 
LHS Spirit Category

• Dee Triplets/Debbie Dee Culley, Diane Dee Smith, & Doris Dee Springle – Three Times the LHS Fun
• Doris Jones – Cheers to the LHS Class of ‘77
• Jean Hester Taliaferro - Orange You Glad You’re Naught Done Yet?
• Don Watson – Ship on the Horizon
• Teri Carlton Still – An Ocean of Bubbles
• Clif Hennecy & Mary E. Richard – A Remembrance of Brenda Breathitt Hennecy
• Cindy Hartley Ross & Allyson Anderson Moskowitz –Anchored in Friendship
• Susan Lambe Spicker – Go Dreadnaughts…Orange & Black Forever!

 
LHS Days Category

• Mary E. Richard, Dawn Rarick Anspaugh, Denise Barnett Phillips, Donna Mulford Elms, Kim Harter Hughes, et al – Anchorettes Under the Friday Night Lights
• Scott Schiltz & Mary E. Richard  - A Tribute to Benny’s Oyster Bar
• Shawn Eady Wilson & Liz Barrett – Go CLJH Mustang/Dreadnaughts  
• John R. Morgan – LHS Band- A Musical Sensation
• Teri White Ingram – High School Memories…Wait, Is It 4:20 PM?
• Mike & Debbie Carter – Leo Knows How to Have Fun
• Jodi Knobel Feurhelm, Debbie Arnold Velthuizen, & Mary E. Richard – Let’s Go Rolling!
• Tony & Valerie Surber McMahon – We’re Headed to Opportunity High School
• Mary Watson Halter – LHS Chorus & Musicals
• David Durbin & Mary E. Richard – Interact Surf’s Up!
• Cindy Hartley Ross & Allyson Anderson – Keyettes Forever
• Julie Garvey Stanley – A Tropical Toast to Classmates

 
 
Congrats to the Dee Triplets - Debbie Dee Culley, Diane Dee Smith, & Doris Dee Springle and Tony & Valerie McMahon for taking home first place honors in their categories.
 
Special thanks also goes out to Doris Jones for coordinating our In Memoriam Display presented on Friday and Saturday nights. The Remembrance Book of photos, obituaries, and memories she created will be on display at future reunions as well. Thanks to all who purchased luminaries to line our stage in honor of our departed classmates with those proceeds going towards our class scholarship as well. Click on the “In Memoriam” Tab to view the list of departed classmates. 
 
On Saturday night, the Nulli Secundus Society also took the opportunity to recognize and thank Mary E. Richard as our 45^th Class Reunion Chairman with a special presentation of flowers and an engraved cutting board. Thanks also goes out to Gary Powell, our Class Photographer, for creating all our fun reunion videos that can be viewed on the LHS Class of ’77 Facebook page and on LHSClassof77.com, as well as on his YouTube channel.

Thanks to Mary E. Richard for also heading up our exciting main event on Saturday night as well.
 
On Sunday, we headed to Lake Crago Park for our traditional BBQ where everyone sported their “Naught Done Yet” Reunion t-shirts and received logoed goodie bags courtesy of our sponsor - Family Insurance Centers. The event included a Motoring Down Memory Lane Vehicle Show coordinated by Beth Rewis and Nancy Pridmore. Our Boat Parade included kayaks and canoes filled with adventurous classmates getting exercise and enjoying the scenery as they paddled along Lake Crago. It was a scorching hot Florida day and we were thankful we rented out an indoor room for everyone to get out of the heat, eat yummy BBQ, and take the opportunity to soak up our reconnections and new friends on the last day of our reunion.

Thanks to Shawn Eady Wilson and Amy Yarbrough Whitham for heading up this final reunion event.
 
While there are loads of people to thank, we need to make special recognition of our Class Sponsors for contributing money and In-Kind services. Please click on the “Sponsors” Tab to view the list of contributors. We rely on those funds to keep our ticket prices low and to ensure our reunions are always over-the-top fun. Thanks also to everyone that answered our call for Silent Auction items providing more items than we’ve ever had before. We needed to raise money to fund our class scholarship for the next five years and I am certain we’ve achieved this goal.
 
Special thanks also goes to Keith Hicks for coordinating our hotel blocks at The Terrace Hotel and SpringHill Suites where the After Parties ran until 3:30 AM on Friday and 4:30 AM on Saturday night. Those in attendance were certainly “Naught Done Yet” and partied like they were back in high school.
 
We also need to toast Scott Schiltz for personally hosting and stocking our “We’ve Got Spirits Yes We Do Bar!” throughout our ENTIRE reunion which included beer, wine, spirits, and a specialty drink. His “Let’s Get Naughty” napkins were the perfect addition to the bar. We also need to give a shout out to Mike Carter, our reunion treasurer, who processed all the ticket orders and was on hand to sell tickets at the event doors. We also thank Doris Dionne for creating our “Naught Done Yet” Reunion logo.
 
And lastly, none of this would have been possible without all the hard work and dedication of our entire Reunion Planning Committee dubbed “The Nulli Secundus Society.” These individuals are certainly second to none for contributing their time, energy, creativity, and talents on behalf of our fellow classmates. Planning began a year in advance as they worked together (sometimes on Zoom due to the Coronavirus Pandemic) to create yet another outstanding reunion on behalf of fellow classmates. Some committee members took the lead in certain areas and others were on hand to lend their thoughts, ideas, and opinions at our meetings or participated or contributed from afar. All were valuable assets in putting together our 45^th Class Reunion and are owed a debt of gratitude from our class.
 
The Nulli Secundus Society includes:

• Dawn Rarick Anspaugh
• Liz Barrett
• Debbi Kippenberger Carter
• Mike Carter
• Doris Dionne
• Dean Erskine
• Cynthia Diane Miller Goforth
• Beth Guskay
• Tayloe Harding
• Keith Hicks
• Julie Stanley Garvey
• Suki Westra Jansich
• Doris Jones
• Tony McMahon
• John R. Morgan
• Joan Peterson
• Denise Barnett Phillips
• Gary Powell
• Nancy Pridmore
• Leslie Ratcliff
• Beth Rewis
• Mary E. Richard, Chair
• Allen Sale
• Scott Schiltz
• Susan Lambe Spicker
• Nancy Calabro Stone
• Bruce Templin
• Leon Thomas
• Don Watson
• Amy Yarbrough Whitham
• Shawn Eady Wilson

 
If you haven’t posted your reunion photos yet, please make sure to do so as it’s exciting to see all the fun we had and the classmates in attendance. You can click on “Photo Albums” to upload those here and also head to the LHS Class of ’77 Facebook page or use #LHS77NaughtDoneYet to tag on other social media outlets.
 
Discussions are already underway for upcoming class events including a “Medicare Cruise” for our 65^th Birthday (with any cruise line but Carnival!) and a S’more Fun with the Class of ’77 Weekend Campout in Live Oaks. If you’ve got ideas or want to get involved in the planning for our 50^th Class Reunion in 2027, please let us know via the LHS Class of ‘77 Facebook page or message on LHSClassof77.com.
 
Sadly, we have had 10 percent of our class pass away since we graduated in June 1977. Do yourself a favor and start planning now to attend our 50^th Class Reunion. It would be sad for you to miss out on the opportunity to reconnect with classmates and to make friends with others you never even imagined you’d be friends with in high school.
 
Keep in touch and keep your contact info updated by clicking on “Edit Your Profile” under the “Classmates” tab. If you sadly hear of someone that has passed away, please post and let everyone know and get in touch directly with Doris Jones.  Also please post photos of interest under the “Photo Albums” tab and share updates about yourself within your Profile or under the “Guest Book” tab. We shared a special time in our lives and everyone is interested in where you are and what you’re doing. Be on the watch for future class gatherings because just like our 45^th Class Reunion theme points out, we are “Naught Done Yet” and are already counting down to our 50^th Class Reunion in 2027.