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.

---

HICKSVILLE VIETNAM WAR ERA MEMORIAL - PROJECT UPDATE

The final Confirmed List of Names, organized alphabetically by graduating class year, just as it will appear on the actual Memorial is what we will continue to publish from this point forward! To review the final list, please go to this month's Update in the Honoring Our Veterans tab of this issue of HixNews.

Once again, no new progress this month due to the continuance of the Pandemic. We are pleased to tell you that our core action team remains safe and in good health. We are thankful for this and hope the same is true for each of our readers and alumni.

With Memorial Day just having past, we hope all of you enjoyed a good weekend and were able to spend time remembering those who paid the ultimate price in defense of our nation.

We haven't been able to report on new donations since the end of February, with Bill Walden remaining in South Carolina for the time being. If you have sent a donation and your check has yet to clear, it's simply because Bill has not been home to deposit it in our account.

We trust all readers are staying safe at this difficult time. As always, should you wish to make any comments on the Update, please email 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, HHS 1962

CLASS OF 1980 CLASS REUNION

Note the new date. Everything else stays the same.
August 7, 2021

7:30-11:30 pm
Oak Room at the Heritage Club at Bethpage. 
Cost $125 includes food and drink. 
Payment info will be released soon.
Nearby Hotels include: (Book sooner rather than later)
Hilton Garden Inn Round Swamp Road
Homewood Suites Round Swamp Road
Holiday Inn, Plainview on Sunny Side Blvd
Four Points by Sheraton in Melville, Plainview on South Service Road
Any questions? Contact Sue at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

The Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Memory Lane

An Interesting Read

...to remember what life was like in the past for so many!

It's a mess out there now. Hard to discern between what's a real threat and what is just simple panic and hysteria. For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1900.

On your 14th birthday, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday.

22 million people perish in that war. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until your 20th birthday. 50 million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million.

On your 29th birthday, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, the World GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy.

When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren't even over the hill yet. And don't try to catch your breath.

On your 41st birthday, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war.

At 50, the Korean War starts. 5 million perish.

At 55 the Vietnam War begins and doesn't end for 20 years. 4 million people perish in that conflict.

On your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, should have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening.

When you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends.

Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? When you were a kid in 1985 and didn't think your 85 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. And how mean that kid in your class was. Yet they survived through everything listed above. Perspective is an amazing art. Refined as time goes on, and enlightening like you wouldn't believe. Let's try to keep things in perspective. Let's be smart, help each other out, and we will get through all of this.

This illustrates the fact that what you see depends on your point of view.

Jim White
Happy Old Southern Gentleman
By the grace of God

Casale's Corner

Dog food order arrives after dogs pass away - man asks for a refund and is taken aback by reply

 By iHeartDogs.com, December 10th, 2019

The loss of a dog in the home is absolutely devastating, and the saying that dogs are a man's best friend is most definitely true. Not having your loyal four-footer around anymore is a horrible feeling, especially after spending so many great moments together.

It is never easy to say goodbye - but it is best to remember and cherish all the beautiful moments with our pets who are no longer here anymore.

Tragically, one family lost both of their dogs on the same weekend.

Laura Waltenburg's sister and her husband owned two pooches, but they suddenly passed away.
There was a large order of dog food underway from Chewy, which arrived after the two four-footers died.

"My sister and brother-in-law tragically lost both of their dogs this past weekend. After this happened, they received two 40-pound bags of dog food that they had ordered from the Chewy company. My brother-in-law sent them an email requesting permission to send the dog food back for a refund, minus the shipping cost," Laura wrote on her Facebook profile.

The man simply asked the company to send the food back for a refund, but Chewy responded in a brilliant and heartwarming manner.

A company representative told them that the refund was not going to be a problem at all, but they then showered the owners with kindness and an even better offer. They responded with unbelievable kindness! They credited their credit card for the full purchase price; and asked them to donate the dog food to a local shelter. They sent a second email requesting a picture of one of the dogs to put in their memorial book, to honor her. And then today, my sister and brother-in-law received these beautiful flowers from Chewy. I wish I could tell everybody this story... This is an incredible company!"

Not only could the family keep the dog food to donate it to a shelter, but they also honored the dogs and gave the family some love and support.

Laura's Facebook post went viral and was shared more than 11,000 times.

Dozens of people commented on Laura's original post, and they started sharing their own experiences with dog companies. For example, Chewy sent a woman named Jana Lynn a beautiful painting of her dog who passed away to cancer.

"Chewy followed my baby girl Joy through struggles of overcoming back leg paralysis and fighting off 4 forms of cancer. When she lost her 4 year battle, they sent me her beautiful face on a canvas. I cry routinely gazing at it still, one year later. They are beyond measure."

Another commenter posted a screenshot of a conversation with the company after they lost their pet, and it is just full of warmth and love.

"We're so sorry to hear about the loss of Muggings and she sounds like she was loving the stroller time with the steady breeze in her face. It must be a tough time going through her loss but for the couple years you had her, she was enjoying every bit. Surrounded by a loving family and leaving paw prints on everyone's heart. We love you incredibly, Amanda, and if there's anything you ever need - even just an ear - we're always here for you."