3 WIN MONONGAH HIGH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

 MHS Alumni Association scholarship winners announced

 

Monongah High Alumni Association president Linda Lopez Gandy announced the 2021 scholarship winners awarded by the alumni group:

“Here are the 2021 Scholarship winners

 

Sarah Shumate the Memorial Scholarship

 

Elias Shane Wyckoff the Monongah High School Alumni Scholarship

 

Hadessah VanGilder the Raymond Glover Scholarship

 

Congratulations to all from the Monongah High School Alumni”

 

All three and their parents will be guests at the annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet, the longest-running high school reunion in the state of West Virginia, on Saturday, September 4 in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont.

 

Sarah lives in Worthington with Robert Shumate and Hannah Shumate.

 

Elias lives Monongah.

 

Hadessah lives in Mannington. Her father is Todd VanGilder. Her mother, Constance “Connie” Lynn Tennant VanGilder, passed away January 10.

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be September 4 in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont. Class photos (for $15) starting at 5:30. Dinner at 6:30. Dancing at 8 pm.

 

If you would like to attend, call Alumni Association treasurer Donna Davis at (304) 534-5636.

 

Checks for the Reservations -- $30 per person -- should be mailed to:

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV

26554-1143 

Show up September 4 and applaud the 3 fine young people who may make Marion County proud a decade from now. They are our future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

METALLIC NAME TAGS FOR JULY 17 EVENT IN MONONGAH TOWN HALL ... NO HOLES IN CLOTHING

 

I’m preparing metallic name tags for everyone who attends my J&J&Lions Get-Together at 6-9 p.m. Saturday, July 17 in the Monongah Town Hall.

That will avoid pinholes on clothing.

Dinner at 6 p.m., music for listening and dancing till 9 p.m.

Time is running out to get your Reservations in. The only way, at this late date, is to call co-host Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville. Jackie will give you directions to her home where you can fill out Registration forms that she has and pay the $20 per person IN CASH ONLY because it’s took late to accept checks.

Many of your friends, former Monongah High classmates and residents of Monongah are on the Reservations list. Don’t miss out and kick yourself later when you see photos of how much fun we had. 

A reminder to avoid ANY confusion:

This is NOT – I repeat, NOT -- the annual Monongah High Alumni banquet but a John Olesky attempt to get family and classmates together during the summer as a break from the COVID restrictions. 

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be on Labor Day weekend at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont. If you have any questions call Monongah Alumni Association treasurer Donna Davis at 304-534-5636. By the way, Donna is among those who will be in the Monongah Town Hall on July 17.

VISIT JACKIE AND SET YOURSELF UP FOR A NIGHT OF FUN ON JULY 17 !!!

 

Jackie’s house became a popular place to visit

My sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1950, who lives in Rivesville, is getting a lot of company these days.

They are showing up to fill out their Reservation forms for the Saturday, July 17 J&J&Lions Get-Together in the Monongah Town Hall for the dinner at 6 p.m., music till 9 p.m. and the raffle drawing of the football signed by Alabama Coach Nick Saban, Class of 1969, and his wife, Ms. Terry (Constable Saban) and a boxful of other souvenirs.

Only those with Reservations who come into the Town Hall can buy raffle tickets for Brother’s collection of memorabilia.

YOU are running low on time to be in on the fun.

 Too late to mail in a Reservation to me but still time for you to call co-host Jackie at (304) 278-7157. 

Jackie will give you directions to her house and has Reservation forms for you to fill. At this late date you can pay Jackie ONLY IN CASH (too late for checks) at $20 per person. If you are a Monongah High graduate, put your graduation year on the form.

Again, NOT restricted to Monongah High alumni!

 Residents of Monongah or friends and family to those who are coming, too, are welcome as long as they have had their Covid vaccine shots.

I will need to give Say-Boy Restaurant the number of people attending and how many want the various entrees. I will be paying for all the food in advance from the checks I’ve received so that Say-Boy doesn't have to collect person to person.

There will be non-stop music for 3 hours, a huge Monongah High Lion framed poster, an even larger 10 x 15 foot WVU cloth wall-hanging, a 25-pound cement outline of the state of West Virginia in blue and gold with “W” and “V” on the work of art and FOURTEEN HUNDRED ROTATING PHOTOS in a picture frame of family, friends, Monongah High alumni, Monongah High Alumni Banquet photos from previous years and residents of Monongah from 2021 to 1938. 

A fantastic non-stop stroll down memory lane in so many ways.

So call Jackie to get your reservation in and not be kicking yourself later when you read about and see photos of how much fun we’ll be having.

Monongah Mayor Johnboy Palmer will be there, too, to draw the winning raffle ticket for the donated football that Nick Saban and wife Terry Constable Saban autographed.

Brother sent a boxful of items that will be given away to those with winning raffle tickets till everything on the table is gone.

This is NOT the annual Monongah High Alumni banquet but a John Olesky attempt to get family, friends and classmates together during the summer as a break from the COVID restrictions.

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be on Labor Day weekend at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont. If you have any questions call Donna Davis at 304-534-5636.

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV

26554-1143

1938 TO 1982 GRADUATES TO BE AT JULY 17 J&J&LIONS GET-TOGETHER

 Plenty of class at July 17 Town Hall get-together

 

There will be a wide range of Monongah High alumni at the July 17 J&J&Lions Get-Together in the Monongah Town Hall.

It’s not just for MHS Lions, however. Anyone can attend if they have a Reservation IN ADVANCE.

But the Reservations include those from:

Class of 1938 (Amelia Shenasky Zentz)

Class of 1942

Class of 1950

Class of 1955

Class of 1958

Class of 1961

Class of 1968

Class of 1969

Class of 1972

Class of 1975

Class of 1982 (North Marion; Monongah High’s last graduation class was in 1979 before merging into North Marion with other Marion County schools).

Wow, that’s a lot of class!

44 years from the earliest graduate that will show up for the 6 p.m. dinner and music for listening and dancing till 9 p.m. to the “baby” of the group in Shelly Yankie, 1982 North Marion graduate, Monongah Christmas Street Lights Committee and, along with Monongah Councilwoman Susan Sanders, decorating the Town Hall in black and red streamers (Monongah High’s colors).

YOU are running low on time to be in on the fun.

 Too late to mail in a Reservation to me but still time for you to call co-host Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, at (304) 278-7157. 

Jackie will give you directions to her house and has Reservation forms for you to fill. At this late date you can pay Jackie ONLY IN CASH (too late for checks) at $20 per person. If you are a Monongah High graduate, put your graduation year on the form.

Again, NOT restricted to Monongah High alumni!

 Residents of Monongah or friends and family to those who are coming, too, are welcome as long as they have had their Covid vaccine shots.

I will need to give Say-Boy Restaurant the number of people attending and how many want the various entrees. I will be paying for all the food in advance from the checks I’ve received so that Say-Boy doesn't have to collect person to person.

There will be non-stop music for 3 hours, a huge Monongah High Lion framed poster, an ever larger WVU cloth wall-hanging, a 25-pound cement outline of the state of West Virginia in blue and gold with “W” and “V” on the work of art and FOURTEEN HUNDRED ROTATING PHOTOS in a picture frame of family, friends, Monongah High alumni and residents of Monongah from 2021 to 1938. 

A fantastic non-stop stroll down memory lane in so many ways.

So call Jackie to get your reservation in and not be kicking yourself later when you read about and see photos of how much fun we’ll be having.

 Monongah Mayor Johnboy Palmer will be there, too, to draw the winning raffle ticket for the donated football that Nick Saban and wife Terry Constable Saban autographed.

Brother sent a boxful of items that will be given away to those with winning raffle tickets till everything on the table is gone.

This is NOT the annual Monongah High Alumni banquet but a John Olesky attempt to get family, friends and classmates together during the summer as a break from the COVID restrictions.iHH

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be on Labor Day weekend at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont. If you have any questions call Donna Davis at 304-534-5636.

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV

26554-1143

LARGE WVU WALLHANGING THAT WILL BE ON DISPLAY JULY 17 AT MONONGAH TOWN HALL

 

These are my magic elves installing the 6 x 8 foot WVU wallhanging that I will be bringing to the July 17 J&J&Lions Get-Together in the Monongah Town Hall.

It’s my daughter LaQuita and her husband, Tom.

The wallhanging will be joined by the 28 x 36 inch framed Monongah High Lion photo and the 25-pound outline of the state of West Virginia painted in blue (with a white “W”) on the western half and yellow (with a blue “V”) on the eastern half.

The imaginary line where the blue meets the yellow will go through Morgantown, Charleston and Williamson, the first 3 towns where I made my first newspaper stops as a sportswriter before moving to the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times and the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal for the rest of my 43-year career, about 30 years as an editor teaching new reporters who old editors taught me.

The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. with music for listening and dancing till 9 p.m.

It’s too late to mail me a Registration form but not too late, if you hurry, to call the co-host, my sister Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, at (304) 278-7157, and she will give you directions to her Rivesville home.

Because you waited so long, Jackie will give you the Registration form to fill out at her house, and then you will pay Jackie IN CASH ONLY because it’s too late to avoid bounced checks.

Jackie will phone me with your names, your Monongah High graduation years (if you went there; not necessary to attend the event) and your choice of entrees.

In a little more than a week I have to tell Say-Boy how many mouths to feed, and how many of each entrees the mouths want.

I will pre-pay for all the food in advance so that Say-Boy can’t be stiffed from the $20 per person that I get. If I make a “profit” after aqll my 3 months of expenses I will turn every penny of it into the Monongah High Alumni Association scholarship fund. If I lose money, I’m OK with that.

Only for those who make Reservations there will be raffle tickets available for the memorabilia that Alabama Coach Nick Saban, Class of 1969, sent to me in a large box, including a football autographed by Brother and his wife, Ms. Terry (Constable Saban).

Once someone wins the football then we will keep drawing numbers and let the winners come to the table and have their choice of items that Brother graciously sent to me.

So, no more time for procrastination. IF you have had your COVID     vaccine shots, then call Jackie and fill out your Reservation form.

NO ONE will be admitted into the Monongah Town Hall without Registering in advance! We want this to be a fun and safe time.

Last-minute show-ups will NOT be admitted. 

The more money we raise for the scholarship fund the happier I will be. And the more people who laugh and smile on July 17 in the Monongah Town Hall the more delighted I will be.

We deserve this after surviving the pandemic.

This is NOT the annual Monongah High Alumni banquet but a John Olesky attempt to get family and classmates together during the summer as a break from the COVID restrictions.

iHH

 

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be on Labor Day weekend at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont. If you have any questions call Donna Davis at 304-534-5636.

 

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV

26554-1143

TIME RUNNING OUT TO MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR J&J&LIONS GET-TOGETHER! HURRY!

 

There will be a 25-pound cement outline of the state of West Virginia painted in blue on the left half with a white “W” and in yellow on the right half with a black “V” on it on display at the Saturday, July 17 J&J&Lions Get-Together in the Monongah Town Hall at 6-9 p.m.

It will be on display along with the 15 x 20 foot WVU quilt-like cloth wall hanging and the 28 x 32 inch framed Monongah High Lion.

It’s too late for you to mail your Reservation form to me but you can still get on the list.

Call co-host Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, at (304) 278-7157 and you will give you directions to her house. She has Reservation forms that you can fill out and give to Jackie along with $20 IN CASH ONLY at this late date (to avoid bounced checks). 

She will phone me with your name, graduation year if you are Monongah High graduate (non-graduates are welcome) and your preference of food entrée.

But time IS running low. So call Jackie as soon as possible because I have to tell Say-Boy in advance how many mouths to feed and how many asked for each of the entrees.

There will be dinner at 6 p.m. and music for listening and dancing till 9 p.m.

Mayor Johnboy Palmer and Councilwoman Susan Sanders are among those who will be there.

Among those coming, with more Reservation forms expected:

Lea Ann Barnes  lasagna

John C. Barnes    lasagna

Donna Davis, Class of 1961, Monongah Alumni Association treasurer

Bill “Carney” Davis, Class of 1958

Carney Davis, Class of

Cora Fazio my cousin

David Fazio, Class of 1975, my cousin

Steve Fazio, Class of 1975, my cousin

Steve’s wife

Jim Foster, Class of 1971  lasagna

Kathern Herndon Loss, Class of 1942  pasta

Jay Holman, Class of 1971    pasta

Monnie Johnston   stuffed peppers

Bob Johnston    lasagna

Aaron Justice, Class of 1972    spaghetti & meatballs

Roseann Loss Orwig, Class of 1969   pasta

Judith Lemley Shaffer Mancino, Class of 1971

Kitty Morrison, Class of 1968     stuffed peppers

John Olesky, Class of 1950  stuffed peppers

John Larry Olesky    lasagna

Mayor Johnboy Palmer

Irene Fazio Preoletti, Class of 1966

Mike Preoletti, Class of 1962

Mary Chris Fazio Ramsey, Class of 1969, my cousin

Tom Ramsey, Mary Chris’ husband

Susan Schrader, Class of 1971   pasta

Amelia Shenasky Zentz, Class of 1938 spaghetti & meatballs

Amelia’s caregiver  lasagna

Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971  lasagan & salad & Italian bread

Jackie Straight Olesky, Class of 1955  lasagna

Renee Straight   spaghetti & meatballs

Kayla Tolssone

Shelly Yankie, 1982 North Marion   stuffed peppers & salad & Italian bread

JOIN US FOR THE FUN, MUSIC AND NOSTALGIA!

ARE YOU GOING TO MISS THE BEST PARTY OF THE YEAR SO FAR?

Guess who’s coming to dinner July 17?

Mayor Johnboy Palmer will be there. 

We’ll ask him to draw the raffle ticket to determine who gets the Alabama football autographed by Nick Saban, Class of 1969, quarterback of the 1968 Monongah High state championship team and the only coach in history to win SEVEN national college football titles, and his wife, Ms. Terry (Terry Constable Saban).

Money from the raffle will go into the Monongah High Alumni Association scholarship fund. 

Councilwoman Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971, also will be there.

So will Shellie Yankie, of the Monongah Christmas Lights Committee.

And Donna Davis, Class of 1961, Monongah High Alumni Association treasurer from the time that dinosaurs roamed those hills, those beautiful West Virginia hills.

And of course the Fazio cousins of J&J&Lions Get-Together co-hosts Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville, and John Olesky, Class of 1950, who lives in Tallmadge, Ohio, adjacent to Akron.

And Kathern Herndon Loss, Class of 1942, who may be the only one there older than me (I’m 88).

So why haven’t you sent in your Reservations form yet? I’ll extend the deadline past June 26 as long as you notify me via my John Olesky Facebook page or my jo4wvu@neo.rr.com email address that the form and the check are on the way.

Be there or be square.

If you can’t make it then you’ll be able to read about it on this blog, with photos, later.

There will be a 28 x 36 inch framed photo of the Monongah High Lion on display and a 15 x 20 foot cloth WVU hanging plus all of the memorabilia that Brother (Nick Saban) packed into a box and mailed to me that will be given to those whose tickets are drawn at the Get-Together.

Dinner at 6 p.m. and music till 9 p.m.

Rotating photos in a frame (1,400 of them) of Monongah High alumni, residents of Monongah, MHS Reunions over the years, from Black Diamond yearbooks, anything I could find anywhere that might interest people who attend.

This may be a party to remember for the ages. You sure you want to sit at home and miss it?

Among those coming, with more Reservation forms expected:

Lea Ann Barnes  lasagna

John C. Barnes    lasagna

Donna Davis, Class of 1961, Monongah Alumni Association treasurer

Bill “Carney” Davis, Class of 1958

Carney Davis, Class of

Cora Fazio my cousin

David Fazio, Class of 1975, my cousin

Steve Fazio, Class of 1975, my cousin

Steve’s wife

Jim Foster, Class of 1971  lasagna

Kathern Herndon Loss, Class of 1942  pasta

Jay Holman, Class of 1971    pasta

Monnie Johnston   stuffed peppers

Bob Johnston    lasagna

Aaron Justice, Class of 1972    spaghetti & meatballs

Roseann Loss Orwig, Class of 1969   pasta

Judith Lemley Shaffer Mancino, Class of 1971

Kitty Morrison, Class of 1968     stuffed peppers

John Olesky, Class of 1950  stuffed peppers

John Larry Olesky    lasagna

Mayor Johnboy Palmer

Irene Fazio Preoletti, Class of 1966

Mike Preoletti, Class of 1962

Mary Chris Fazio Ramsey, Class of 1969, my cousin

Tom Ramsey, Mary Chris’ husband

Susan Schrader, Class of 1971   pasta

Amelia Shenasky Zentz, Class of 1938 spaghetti & meatballs

Amelia’s caregiver  lasagna

Susan Staron Sanders, Class of 1971  lasagan & salad & Italian bread

Jackie Straight Olesky, Class of 1955  lasagna

Renee Straight   spaghetti & meatballs

Kayla Tolssone

Shelly Yankie, 1982 North Marion   stuffed peppers & salad & Italian bread 

This is NOT the annual Monongah High Alumni banquet but a John Olesky attempt to get family and classmates together during the summer as a break from the COVID restrictions.

iHH

 

The annual Monongah High Alumni Banquet will be on Labor Day weekend at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont. If you have any questions call Donna Davis at 304-534-5636.

 

Donna Davis

858 Park Avenue

Monongah, WV

26554-1143