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Ed Wooldridge

 Russell, thanks for posting the information on the Viking Fund out on the website.  As a result, I made a contribution. Only thing I wish I had done was to make it in your honor for dedicating your life work to making Teejay a better place.  Happy New Year.  Ed

Russell Flammia

      Eddie, thank you for your donation to the Tee Jay Vikings Fund. Because of donations from classmates like you and other alumni, we're able to do the various projects that benefit our students and help to prepare them for the future. Our days and experiences at Tee Jay have benefited us, and this is your and my way of giving back. I'm very grateful for your donation.

           Thank you again,

                                     Russell

Bruce Weinstein

So sorry to hear about Billy Stanley. Whenever I was having a bad or so-so day, it was always great to see Billy or "Smiley" Hale because they wouldn't let you have a bad day. They both will be missed and remembered.

Sally Kincannon (von Rumohr)

There is no doubt about it -- Billy Stanley was a Class of '62 icon!  I already miss just knowing that he's out and about making people laugh.

Forrest Matthews

I did not see Billy Stanley very much these past few years but when I did he always made our visit enjoyable and rememberable

Carlin Hudgins (Hanzas)

After seeing the "In Memory " list of 77 classmates, I felt they had all passed away too early. It is hard to realize how fast life moves and that we are in the last quarter of our lives now!! I can still remember the names and faces of most of them.  It was an honor to have gone to school with them.  God Bless our Class of 1962!!

With much love and admiration,

Carlin Hudgins Hanzas

Sally Kincannon (von Rumohr)

Oh Carlin, You have expressed my feelings exactly, and probably those of most of our classmates!  As sad as it has been to say farewell to so many, we are able to acknowledge how lucky we are to have known them, and shared those important high school years with them.  Fortunately the gift of reflection comes with age, and it's important to acknowledge that gift.

Lila Bass (Hicks)

Carlin and Sally thank you both for your beautiful posts.  It is sad to see so many of our classmates have passed. Live, laugh, and love everyday. See you soon at the reunion. 💙🙏❤️❤️❤️

Jo-Ann Olkowski

The post about elder care really got my attention.  I'm an in-home caregiver for elders who cannot do a whole lot to take care of themselves. It's become a bit of a crisis in some areas, because there are so many elders who need help and not enoough caregivers to cover them. The agency I work for is in that position.  My current assignment is a really rough one that I hope won't put me in my grave.  I work a 12 hour shift from 8:00AM to 8:00PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I think I'm the only active caregiver on the assignment. There is one other person who only works 4 hours on Friday but I can't see that she does anything but stay on her cell phone regarding doctor appointments, etc.

This poor woman is in full blown Alzhimer's, very overweight, can't stand up or walk - she's flat on her back 24/7. It takes her husband and myself to turn her just to change her diapers. I do all the bathing and she desperately needs it after laying in poopy, urinated diapers for the hours I'm not there. Hubby is trying to push her too hard and too fast to do things she is not able to do.  He's determined she is not going to die,but will be able to live a full normal life.and it isn't going to happen.  I'm starting to worry about the hubby's mental situation.  My boss backs me up on things I know are too dangerous for her.

I've been doing this kind of work for years and it is very hard sometiimes.  I've pretty much done it all - cooking meals, feeding if necessary, house cleaning, laundry, bedsores (horrific stuff - a deatg sentence), bathing. It's hard - mentally, emotionaly, and physically.  Does having a caregiver cost a lot of money? You bet it does!!

Hope this gives a little insight into what we, as caregivers, do and how hard the assignment can be sometimes. Good health to all of you.

Jo-Ann

Mike Floyd

God bless you Jo-Ann for doing this work.  I can only imagine the stress and exhaustion.  You are a Godsend to those that you serve.

Mike

Carol Battige (Levine)

Jo-Ann you are an angel with the patience of Job.  I took care of my mom on my days off and she basically starved herself to death.  I would come home after work and fix her favorite foods for dinner and she wouldn't touch it.  She stayed in bed so much and got so weak that I have to hire a care giver also.  She didn't last very long not eating or drinking and died 3 days after she was taken to the hospital.  I just had a little vignette of what you live through.  Bless you for your caring.

Carol Levine

Russell Flammia

Jo-Ann-thank you for what you do. You & other caregivers are angels. We need more people who do what you do. I'm thankful that there are caregivers like you. God Bless you!

Jo-Ann Olkowski

Mike, Carol and Russell,

Thank you for your comments on elder care.You must have sent up a few prayers! My situation has changed for the better since my original post.  When my boss said he was sending another caregiver to my assignment I was thrilled to know it was a person I had worked with several years ago on another assignment.  She is a hard worker, fabulous cook and very good at house cleaning.  She's done this kind of work the better part of her life.  When you're black, poor and living in a shanty in Louisianna bayou country you do whatever you can to stay alive.  Her mother taught her well - initially on family members and progressed forward to others. She taught me a lot on our first assignment.  I haven't seen her yet as we work different days, but I've talked to her by phone - and my spirit has soared. We both want to talk to this couple's son to see if he can convince his father to follow our advice instead of balking.at everything we're trying to do. 

Thanks again for your uplifing posts.

Jo-Ann

Russell Flammia

Hi Jo-Ann. I'm happy to hear that your situation has improved. Care givers for elderly people I have known are wonderful people and have hearts of gold. Thank you for what you do.

Jo-Ann Olkowski

Thank you,Russell.

I think the horrors, fears and abuses of my childhood ultimatily made me compassionate as an adult. I love being able to take care of those who can no longer take care of themselves.and sometimes when they die I break down and cry like a baby. I have to leave the room because what I'm supposed to be supportive of the family and I can't until I pull myself together and come back in the room and do what I'm supposed to be doing.

Please pardon any typos.  I'm doing the old "hunt and peck" routine.I have I freeze burn on one of my fingers from a poorly designed, probably defective, de-icer canister. Fortunately, I have an excellent pharmacist. Any time I've had a small wound, she's told me what to buy and what to do and I've ended up with no infection, no scars.  The bandages have me at a disadvantage because it blocks the keyboard and it makes putting on my latex goves a little harder.

I don't think winter, snow, and iced up vehicles is ever going to end! I definitely don't believe in all this global warming business.

Take good care of yourself - and for those classmates who military veterans, thank you so very, very much for your service to your country. You have given the rest of usour freedom.

Jo-Ann

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Did anybody besides Mary (Draney) Murray & Sally Kincannon & me see the story about the Fire at Fox School in the newspaper?   Do they need any help?

Jane Berkeley (Barton)

Yes, we certainly saw that and frankly marvel at how the City would allow so many things to deteriorate and become out of date, such as basic sprinkler systems.

Maybe they've run out of money what with all those recent expenses involved in removing so many of the offensive statues & so forth?

Just wondering;  of course, my apologies where appropriate.

Russell Flammia

        Hi follks, in regards to the Fox school fire a lot of donations have been received. A peviously closed school, Clark-Springs, is only 2 miles away and is undergoing some repairs ($500,000) so students will move into that building shortly. At the present time they are learning 'virtually'. The schooll is insured and according to the superintendent that will cover the cost of rebuilding, so I think Fox school, its students, and faculty will be fine.

Melvin Katz

My dear Classmates: Obviously the horror that is occuring in The Ukraine is so very devastating.

In my own family three of my grandparents came from that area. They came as children and very young adults as their parents sent them away from the destruction which was being placed against them, never to see their parents again. in the early 1900's by Russia. While watching the unfloding of these unprecidented attacks on the people of the Ukraine, I can only imagine how these people can survive this onslought. My wife and I are praying that this inhumanity will end soon and peoples lives can be saved. Please join me in prayer that our collective words of prayer will be answered. May G-D Bless these very brave people whose only fault was that they wanted to be a peacful nation only to be surrounded and penetrated by an army led by a man whose history is inflected with animus.

John Lennon penned these words in song............"Give Peace a Chance".

Marilyn Wolfe (Ruben)

Melvin, I have a feeling that your Grandparents must have known mine when they lived in Richmond, because one set of my great-grandparents also came from Ukraine (plus the other side of the family came from Lithuania and Poland). Watching the stories on tv and reading them online, I keep wondering HOW they managed to get out of there alive during those very tough years, to come to the USA!

And I wonder what they would say now about the plight of their follow countrymen, going through the same challenges & ordeals.  It's as if nothing has changed in close to 80 years!

G-d Bless the people of Ukraine!  

We will all pray for a Cease-Fire!

Linda Fiske (Wehrle)

Thank you for bringing up the horror and history of Ukraine. My daughter-law-law is from near Donetsk on the Russian border. Her parents are still there as they do not want to cross into Russia and it's to dangerous on the roads To go to Kyev and cross to Poland. The airport near them has been closed and now internet service has been cut. Prayers are so appreciated . She says the Ukrainians do not want to be back under Russian rule. They like their freedom. Stay safe all and appreciate our freedom 🐧

Linda Fiske (Wehrle)

And I must add my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter speaks And understands Ukrainian and ever translate to her  papa since he does not speak Ukrainian😆🐧

Lila Bass (Hicks)

Linda we are praying for all your family and for Ukraine. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

Linda Fiske (Wehrle)

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers. Maryna has flown to Hungary and will try to get her parents across the border into Hungary and bring them here. Her folks have been driving for 4 days to try and get to the Hungarian  border. They can not use lights as that would let the Russians know where they are. The company Maryna works for is also being a tremendous help to her .Will be so glad when all are safe🐧

Brenda Jenkins (Armstrong)