Newsletter for the Alumni and Friends of
Hicksville High School Hicksville, New York

The Editors:
Buffalo Bob Casale '61	Linda (Piccerelli) Hayden '60
Pat (Koziuk) Driscoll '56	Bob (Gleason) Wesley '61

Contributing Editors: Bob Gillette & Walter Schmidt

Webmaster: Roger Whitaker

To contact the editors, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Happy Birthday HixNews

We start our 15th year with the October issue. HixNews has come a long way since 2000 and the success is because of participation. It seems we begged so long for information from "you all"! The begging has ceased and the editors want to thank everyone for contributing information that piques the memories of many!There have been disappointments where the editors have tried to implement an idea for a "special section" only to see it fail. Obviously, some of you have ideas for such a section. Please submit your ideas to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. but be prepared to offer your time as a contributing editor who will collect, organize and maintain that particular "special section.

* F L A S H B A C K *
A Tribute to Holly Horton

The untimely death of Holly Horton in 2000 saddened our hearts. She was a very spirited person who enjoyed life and enriched those she touched with unselfish commitment. Holly was instrumental in bringing Hicksville High School (HHS) together again just prior to a mega reunion, organized by Anton Mure and Rich Delia, that was attended by a wide variety of alumni, in September of 2000.

Holly authored a mailing list that she put onto a website. Her sometimes daily updates of names and addresses were eagerly anticipated by the growing list of alumni. Her emails were augmented by a collage of tidbits and trivia, a result of feedback from others. She put up special photographs that we all enjoyed and that effort united a wide bracket of HHS students. She did this because she wanted to give back special moments to others by providing a source that could be accessed by all of us.The only thing missing from that reunion was Holly herself who looked forward, with obvious anticipation, at the prospect of seeing some old friends and sharing remembrances of times past. It was several days prior to the reunion when an uncontrollable asthma attack ended her life; a tragedy in itself for a person who battled this malady all her life just to survive.

A fitting way to pay respect to Holly was to continue what she started. That challenge was accepted by Pat Koziuk Driscoll (Class of 1956) and Linda Piccerelli Hayden (Class of 1960). They did this out of respect for Holly but also because they see the enjoyment others realize from their effort. It's a way to introduce coming events; such as reunions for various classes. It's an avenue for contacting friends and sharing information that we all treasure. We have the capacity to put up pictures, at various web sites, for all of us to enjoy. In other words, the newsletter is a perfect vehicle for keeping people apprised of "what's happening!"

I want to personally say 'THANKS" to Pat and Linda for all that you did for me and for the alumni of Hicksville High School .

Buffalo Bob Casale 1961

NOTE:  The deadline for checks has been extended to November 15th.

 

CLASS OF 1971 SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR 45^th ReunionJuly 8-10, 2016

We hope you will be able to attend. We arranged hotel accommodations at the Historic Roosevelt Hotel in the heart of midtown Manhattan at Madison Ave. and 45th St. 

Website: www.theroosevelthotel.com
Details:

• Rate: $189 per night + tax/single or double occupancy (a really great rate for NYC!)You may extend your stay 1  day before or after the weekend for the same low rate
• Includes free WIFI and complimentary entrance to 24 hour health club
• To make your reservation call 1-888-833-3989. Please mention The Hicksville High School Class of 1971 Reunionin order to get this discounted rate. Your credit card will not be charged until your stay.  PLEASE NOTE: Cancellations will be accepted no later than 24 hours before July 8th (or 7th if you're planning to come in early), otherwise your credit card will be charged.
• Please reserve your room by Nov. 2, 2015
• We are in the midst of planning the entire fabulous weekend (because 45 years is a long time to catch up with one another in just 1 night). We're  also looking for assistance with planning our event weekend.

For questions about the reunion or to volunteer for the planning committee, please email us:

• Carol (Greenstein) Epstein:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Arlene Gottesman:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Looking forward to seeing you in New York City in July 2016.

Your classmates,
Carol Epstein and Arlene Gottesman
415-846-6907

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HICKSVILLE VIETNAM WAR ERA MEMORIAL - PROJECT UPDATE

Donations reached $8,492 in September, only a $152 gain over August!  Progress toward our needed goal of $25,000 to build and maintain the Memorial has slowed and we would appreciate a small donation from the many HixNews readers who have yet to do so.  The donor base now totals 74 individuals, couples and organizations.

Please remember, all donations are tax deductibile.  An alphabetical list of current donors, along with details you will need to mail in your donation, can be viewed in this month's MEMORIAL UPDATE in the Honoring Our Veterans section of the newsletter. 

We had one new entry to the Confirmed List of Names in September and our new total now stands at 1,898 names.  The Unconfirmed List remains unchanged.  We continue to need the help of all readers to fill in missing data on the Confirmed List and to help us qualify the names shown on the Unconfirmed List.

As in the past, when you visit this month's UPDATE, please remember that clicking on the two links near the bottom of the page will bring you to the complete Confirmed and Unconfirmed Lists of Names as of the end of September.  And, If you have any new information to send us, please email it to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On behalf of the Project Team,
Joe Carfora, Project Coordinator, HHS 1962

The Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Thanks to Roe Marchese Genovese and Tony Genovese for the following.

'The cat without fear''

Hotel Four Seasons Bora Bora

 Conservatory of Music in China

So, embrace the zebras

Kiss in Paris

Each year in February, the sun's angle is such that Horsetail Falls waterfall lights like fire. Yosemite , USA

Houseboat - Iceland

Panda scared after the earthquake in Japan embraced the leg of a policeman.

Kalapana , Hawaii where the lava meets the sea

Beijing Airport by night

Two year-old Chimpanzee feeding milk to Aorn, a small tiger 60 days old.

Ducks tend to follow throughout life what is seen first at birth, whether or not their mother.

Highway in Japan with snow around more than 10 meters high.

Spectacular rice fields in China.

Austria 's Green Lake is a beautiful park in winter. The snow melts in summer and creates a very clear lake.

Undersea tunnel linking Sweden and Denmark.

The world's highest swimming pool is located in the skyscraper Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Amazing lightning storm over the Grand Canyon

Baby Chameleons

Beautiful image of a panda bear helping another

"The road to Heaven" - a place in Ireland where every two years the stars align with the road.

World's Largest Swimming Pool in San Alfonso, Chile.  More than 1,000 yards long.

 Crystal Palace - Madrid

Heaven's Gate, Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain - China

The Northern Lights - Alaska

Llamas after fleecing

White owl .

The famous "Rosa Moss Bridges" - Ireland

Eiffel Tower.  Romantic and beautiful - Paris, France

Road to Hana - Maui , Hawaii

Restaurant hanging - Belgium

Sea otters hold hands while they sleep so they don't drift apart

There are animals with more sensitivity than many people

Fireman giving drink to a baby Koala in Australia fires

Amazing view of Manhattan , New York , from above

Frozen bubbles in the Canadian Rockies - Canada 

Spiral cloud in the sky.  An Iridescent Cloud in Himalaya.  Phenomenon observed on October 18, 2009

View of the semi-submerged cataract - Hawaii .

Northern lights over the Rocky Mountains in Canada

A pink lake due to the harmless bacteria of Retba Lake, north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal

This dog saved her puppies from a fire at home, and put them safely in one of the fire trucks

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Memory Lane

Famous Parents With Their Children

Can You name them all????

Casale's Corner

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans

They were a good Christian couple that adopted several children, some with handicaps. After retiring, they created a museum in Branson, Missouri. Roy told his son that if the museum ever operates at a loss, close it and sell the contents at auction. His son complied!

The Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, Missouri, closed its doors forever. December 12, 2009

The contents of the museum were sold at a public auction.

Below is a partial listing of some of the items that were sold at auction.

His script book from the January 14,1953 episode of This Is Your Life sold for $10,000.

A collection of signed baseballs (Pete Rose, Duke Snyder, and other greats) sold for $3,750.

A collection of signed bats (Yogi Berra, Enos Slaughter, Bob Feller, and others) sold for $2,750.

Trigger 's saddle and bridle sold for $386,500.

A life size shooting gallery sold for $27,500.

Various chandeliers sold from $6,875 to $20,000.

A signed photograph by Don Larsen taken during his perfect game in the world series against the Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1953, along with a signed baseball to Roy from Don sold for $2,500.

Two fabulous limited edition BB guns in their original boxes with Numerous photos of Roy, Dale, Gabby, and Pat sold for $3,750.

A collection of memorabilia from his shows entertaining the troops in Vietnam sold for $938. I never knew he was there.

His flight jacket sold for $7,500.

His set of dinnerware plates and silverware sold for $11,875.

The Bible they used at the dinner table every night sold for $8,750.

One of several of his guitars sold for $27,500.

A fabulous painting of Roy, Dale, Pat, Buttermilk, Trigger and Bullet sold for $10,625.

One of several sets of movie posters sold for $18,750.

A black and white photograph of Gene Autry with a touching inscription From Gene to Roy sold for $17,500.

Trigger was bred on a farm co-owned by Bing Crosby and was purchased for $2,500.00 on a time payment plan. Roy and Trigger made 188 movies together. Do you remember the 1938 movie The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland? Well, Olivia rode Trigger in that movie.

It is extremely sad to see this era lost forever. Despite the fact that Gene and Roy 's movies, as well as those of other great characters, can be bought or rented for viewing, today's kids would rather spend their time playing video games.

Today it takes a very special pair of parents to raise their kids with the right values and morals.

These were the great heroes of our childhood, and they did teach us right from wrong, and how to have and show respect for each other and the animals that share this earth. You and I were born at the right time. We were able to grow up with these great people even if we never met them.

In their own way they taught us patriotism and honor. We learned that lying and cheating were bad, and that sex wasn't as important as love. We learned how to suffer through disappointment and failure and work through it. Our lives were drug free.

So it's good-bye to Roy and Dale...Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy...the Lone Ranger and Tonto.

Farewell to Sky King and Superman and Sgt. Friday. Thanks to Captain Kangaroo...Mister Rogers... and Captain Noah and all those people whose lives touched ours and made them better.

It was a great ride through childhood.

HAPPY TRAILS MY FRIENDS