Happy New Year!

Photo of the Day by John Boylan (BHS '71)

John Boylan is constantly snapping photos wherever he goes... and he goes WHEREVER - lol! And TODAY the Los Angeles Magazine chose the above as 'Photo of the Day'.

CONGRATULATIONS JOHN... Good job!

LINK to Magazine.

LINK to more of John's photos.

LINK to pic of John.

BHS Alumni/Looper Get-together

Received this great email today - thanks Cathy!

Hi CP: Went to the BHS Alumni/Looper Get-together yesterday at the Elks Lodge in Burbank. Here is a photo of who came:


1st row: Rich Shabazian '64; Jon Kirkwood '64; Nancy Ralphs '65; Santa Vessella '65; Bob Bauman '64; and Mickey DePalo '64. 2nd row: Kirk Harris '65; Pam Zipfel Kirkwood '64; Nancy Cowles '65; Cathy Nicholls Coyle '67; John Coyle '65; Bill Kuzma '65; Mike Feix '65 and Linda Mustion '67 in the back.

Kirk Harris '65, came with a 1962 Foothill League Championship charm that he received while playing on the "B" football team. He says that he thinks he is the only one that may still have it as many of the guys he has talked to told him that they had either lost it or had given it to their girlfriends. Kirk is considering giving it to Burbank High to display with their BHS memorabilia.





To show you how small it is... Here is a photo of Mike Feix and Kirk Harris holding the charm:



Bob Bauman was telling us how he had just recently gotten his Letter from Burbank HIgh that he had never received because he had missed the Football Banquet back in 1964! He got his letter and his patches for football and baseball! Mickey DePalo is to be thanked for setting the wheels in motion and making it all possible.



We heard a lot of stories and tales from our years at BHS. It's funny how some of our lives have entertwined since then. Here is a photo of some of the guys telling their stories while serving in the military:


Bob Bauman '64; Jon Kirkwood '64; Rich Shabazian '64; Kirk Harris '65 and John Coyle '65.

After they discussed their military service, (some of their stories were pretty amazing), they all started talking about their restored cars. It was a fun time and we'd like to thank Mickey DePalo and Jon and Pam Kirkwood for setting it all up.

Wishing all our BHS Alumni a Happy & Healthy New Year!
Your Roving Reporter signing off,
Cathy Nicholls Coyle '67

Burbank 2011 Float: "Centennial Celebration: Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories."

BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR

Rose float highlights Burbank history

By Susan Abram, Staff Writer

Posted: 12/28/2010 07:39:06 PM PST

Updated: 12/28/2010 09:23:59 PM PST

Bob's Big Boy is one of several Burbank icons that will be prominently featured on its 2011 Rose Parade float, the 79th entry in the city's history.
(Andy Holzman/LA Daily News)

Click photo to enlarge

Volunteers work on a the City of Burbank's 2011 Rose Parade float, "Centennial Celebration."
(Andy Holzman/LA Daily News)

• «

BURBANK - Come New Year's Day, 100 years of Burbank history will float by millions of viewers. They will see the SR-71 Blackbird and the bulbous, burger-slinging Big Boy, the NBC peacock and SpongeBob SquarePants.

More than 100 pairs of hands will work for the next 24 hours to florify the symbols that define Burbank's creative and cultural influences since the city incorporated in 1911. The float kicks off a year-long celebration of Burbank's anniversary, with the theme "Centennial Celebration: Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories."

"This is about celebration," said Steve Edward, vice president for the Burbank Tournament of Roses. "It's very exciting in that the city is planning a year long celebration and the float kicks it off."

Janet Maier applies paint while working on the City of Burbank's 2011 Rose Parade float, "Centennial Celebration." (Andy Holzman/LA Daily News)

Every inch of the float - 43 feet long, 18 feet wide and 31 feet tall - will feature images known all over the world. There is the skunk that represents Burbank's link to aerospace and Lockheed Martin during the Skunks Works development of various war planes.

There is the Warner Bros Water Tower, one of many icons that signifies the major film and television studios that have made Burbank the "Media Capital of the World." There are the various personalities depicted through floragraphs and linked forever to city lore, from "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson whose "Live from beautiful downtown Burbank" line cast some humor to a then-rundown part of the city, to animator Walt Disney, and comedian and actor Bob Hope. And there will be several other surprises, including fireworks.

Since June, volunteers from the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association worked to build the city's entry, based on a design by Julio Leon of Burbank. Mary Jane Strickland, the city's historical preservationist and founder of the Burbank Historical Society in 1973, said the 2011 float carries special meaning. "It's wonderful for us because it's been a true community event," said Strickland, whose family came to Burbank in 1913. Her mother was asked to sit on the city's first float in 1914, and her father, George R. Cole, was the city's first police chief in 1920.

Burbank, she said, was founded as a township in 1887, but later incorporated in 1911, though it was charterless for several years. Still, the city functioned well. "It shows some of those old timers were sharp old birds," she said. "They kept the city going." On Monday, volunteers from Burbank and from San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys worked inside one of the cavernous Burbank Water and Power barns.

Many had been repeat volunteers, lured by the power of community spirit like bees, well to budding flowers. "It's definitely meaningful for us," said Diane Campbell, a volunteer who has worked on 10 floats. "It's overwhelming when you see what everybody has worked on, in the parade." "I like doing the small handiwork," added Marta Carroll, who carefully glued on teeny tiny seeds to lettering. "It's just remarkable."

Foreman Philippe Eskandar, who oversees the flower supplies, said every single part of a blossom, from the petal to the stalk, is carefully considered before it is glued or stuck onto the float. If the color of the mums received aren't the right lime green, they will be returned to the wholesaler, he said.

"Some people sort, some people cut, but most people like the pleasure of seeing the roses," said Eskandar, who has been volunteering for six years. Of the more than 50 entries in the Tournament of Roses Parade, Burbank's is one of only six constructed purely by volunteers, with funds allocated each year by the City Council. Burbank's floats have been part of the parade since 1914, though not consecutively. But the city has come away with some of the event's most prestigious awards, including the Mayor's Trophy in 1998 and 2000. "People contact us from other states looking for a float to work on because they want to be part of the experience," said Bob Hunt, president of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association. "This is a good, family-oriented float to work on."

And the work is addictive, agreed Steven Rush, 17. He and his friend Maddie Carlborg, 15, glued cranberry seeds to the front of a classic car set at the front of the car. "I love the float," said Steven said. "I've been working on the float for years. I do the construction. The best part is on New Year's Eve, when we roll the float out. It's incredible to see what you've built."

View Rose Parade route larger map

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_16960490

Yvonne DePatis Kupka (BHS '65) needs your prayers

January 9, 2010 UPDATE

Yvonne is out of ICU! Her phone number is 310- 267-6393. You may mail cards or send flowers to her at Ronald Reagan Medical Center, 757 Westwood Plaza, Room 8625, Los Angeles, CA 90095.

Her recovery is truly a miracle. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!

Santa and Trudie

January 5, 2011 UPDATE from Santa Vessella Calderon

As of Sunday,Yvonne was resting well without the breathing tube... finally. She is responsive and talks to us with her eyes. She is still in serious condition, but the liver is producing bile and all vitals are stable. She is very thin and has a long way to go to look like the beautiful Yvonne we know and love. I've never seen so many tube connections in my life! She is in the transplant ICU at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center; however, she cannot receive flowers or anything yet. I will let you know when they transfer her to a regular room.
Take care,
Santa


FIRST UPDATE
From Guy Gingel:
Yvonne has received her liver transplant and is doing well. The BHS Angel Fund is working to see what we can donate.

And from Trudie Lombard Hentze: 
Good news... Yvonne received a new liver last night and, so far, is doing okay.  However, she has a long way to go, so please keep those prayers and good thoughts coming her way!  Many of you have asked where you can send cards.  I will let you know as soon as I can confirm where she wants them sent. Also, unless any 65 Classmates object, I will donate $200 from our alumni fund for Yvonne's medical expenses.
Thank you all,
Trudie

ORIGINAL POST


Received this email today from Trudie...

Yvonne is on the California liver transplant list, seriously ill and urgently in need of this surgery. SHE IS CONFINED TO THE HOSPITAL UNTIL A DONOR LIVER BECOMES AVAILABLE, which is causing the bills to mount exponentially. Simply put, the cost for this care substantially exceeds her health insurance coverage and the family's resources. Major surgery shouldn't bankrupt a family or threaten to financially ruin their lives. So the Friends of Yvonne and Doc Kupka have organized this medical fund to help cover her catastrophic medical expenses.

Please go to http://yvonnekupka.com/ and read more about her condition and how people are trying to help. You can also listen to the beautiful song, "Yvonne", written by her husband.

We will try to keep you posted on her condition. Please keep Yvonne in your prayers!

Santa Vessella Calderon
& Trudie Lombard Hentze

Order Your Burbank Centennial Book Now!

The City of Burbank has officially kicked off its yearlong Centennial Celebration and will commemorate the 100th anniversary of its incorporation date on July 8, 2011!



Cost for the centennial book is $30 now but will be $40 after January 1, 2011.

The books will be available March 2011.

Go here if you live in California to order online (Call 818.238.5397 if you live outside of California):
http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/index.aspx?page=1045

http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/index.aspx?page=1048

Dec 29 Casual BHS Alumni/Looper Get-Together

Received this today from the Kirkwoods for any BHS alumni who may be Burbank:

"Merry Christmas", Loopers...

Just wanted to stop by for a quick second to tell all of you who live in and around "Loopland" that on Wednesday, December 29, 2010, there will be a BHS Alumni/Looper get-together at the Burbank Elks (2232 N. Hollywood Way) at 3PM... This will be a very informal gathering in the bar area of the Elks and was put together by Mike Feix '65, Mickey DePalo '64 and Freddy Ortega '65... All are welcome...

Hope lots of you stop by for a bit of "holiday fun" in between Christmas and New Year's...

That's Wednesday, December 29th at 3PM...Any questions...contact Mike Feix at feixmike@hotmail.com
or Mickey DePalo at legacymickey@yahoo.com

In the meantime, have a Blessed Christmas...

Love, Pam and Jon

PS All of you "Baby Boomers" who graduated in '64 and before and who may be a bit confused by this "avalanche" of Medicare Information we are all dealing with or soon will be dealing with, go on FaceBook and go to the "Boomer Room"... We have been having lots of classmates sending in very good and helpful information that just might help you navigate your way through the "Maze of Medicare"...

Until next year...Stay Tuned...