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October 2001
Volume 2 Number 1

Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those lost in the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.

September 11
Holly Horton
The Movie: "Let the Good Times Roll"

September 11

• The following appeared in classmates.com message board:
  
  From: JEAN COLAIO 1983
  Sep 17 2001 7:24AM
  To: ALL
  The Colaio Brothers tragedy. I have most unfortunate news. Stephen and Mark Colaio have both been victims of the WTC tragedy. The services will be held as follows:
  
  All in NY City Thursday 9/20 at Frank E. Campbell's on 81st and Madison 1-4 and 6-9.Friday 9/21 St. Ignatius Loyola on 84th and Park at 10am. We are asking if people want they can donate to the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, 101 Park Avenue 45th Fl. NY, NY 10178-0060 Attn: Dr. Philip Ginsberg. Please pray for their souls and for our family.
  
  Jean Colaio

• THE FUNERAL
  
  by Bob Casale
  The steady drone of distant engines disturbed the morning calm. The sound would fade, increase in intensity, and then would fade once again. People exiled in the safety of their homes walked outdoors and looked skyward. The bright sun, climbing into the September sky, formed a backdrop to the objects making the noise. Those on the ground, attempting to see the objects, shielded their eyes from the intense sunlight that blanketed the cloudless sky.
  
  There it is...not one, but two helicopters circling in a wide radius above the throngs of people lining the streets below. Round and round they flew, the last edge of their track passing directly over St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Hicksville. The pilots in the two helicopters noted immense numbers of people stretching out in both directions from the steps leading up to the church entrance. Strange, too, was the absence of traffic for thousands of yards in the vicinity of the church.
  
  The pilot's eyes were drawn to flashing lights on police cars that had streets blocked leading away from the church. They could see a procession of cars pulling up to the church. The cars, awash with brilliant sunshine, stopped where only a short time before a form, in the shape of a steeple, cast an eerie shadow on the ground.
  
  Six men broke away from the crowd and made their way into the street and formed two lines at the rear of a black car that had two small American flags attached to its antenna. They were dressed smartly in dark blue uniforms that oft times were worn when special events warranted their use. Today was somber, but this occasion, too, required their appearance in full dress.
  
  The black car had a single door that was opened wide exposing a casket carrying the body of George Howard, Hicksville resident, New York City Port Authority Police Officer, and a Hicksville volunteer firefighter. The men reached inside and removed the casket slowly and, for a moment, time stood still. The memory of George was overwhelming. George was assigned to Kennedy Airport and was part of the emergency service unit. According to Gus Danese, president of the Port Authority's Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, George was extremely knowledgeable about rescuing techniques and equipment and was highly dependable.
  
  Shortly after the first airplane struck, George called JFK. This was his day off. He was told to report to the World Trade Center...his help was needed, desperately. George raced to the scene and immediately assessed the situation and began tending to the injured. He was unaware of the world tumbling down around him. He was busy doing what he loved, helping others.
  
  The vision of this robust person invaded the minds of his friends and fellow officers. The images were a slow moving reel of film that captured his life and accomplishments. Many dismissed the feeling of emptiness caused by this horror and returned to the reality of the moment. Standing nearby were his wife, Eleonora and his two sons, Christopher and Robert.
  
  The grown men with stoic faces and a look of despair moved the casket up the staircase and into the church. When the service had ended, the now flag draped casket was carried from the church and put once again into the waiting hearse.
  
  This is one service honoring a hero. It's difficult to accept the death of someone who did so much for others and had much more to offer in his lifetime, but, because of unusual circumstances, is denied the opportunity of continuing a useful and meaningful existence. We collectively, honor the life of George Howard and will sustain that honor for our lifetime.
  
  President Bush said during his address to Congress the other night, while holding up the badge of George Howard..."Some will remember an image of a fire or story or rescue. Some will carry memories of a face and a voice, gone forever. And I will carry this. It is the police shield of a man named George Howard who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to her son. It is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end."
  
  Arlene Howard met President Bush at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. He took her hand in an effort to comfort her. It was then Arlene presented him with the badge. George was only 44 years old, and, although I didn't know George personally, someday I will. When we are together in heaven, I will shake his hand and say "thank you" for your sacrifice. You and many other wonderful people are responsible for guaranteeing our freedom.

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Holly Horton

The untimely death of Holly Horton a year ago 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 together again just prior to a mega reunion that was attended by a wide variety of alumni last September. Holly authored a mailing list that she put onto a website. Her updates of names and addresses were eagerly anticipated and were augmented with tidbits of trivia that was the result of feedback from others. She put up special photographs that we all enjoyed. 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 have done 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 do for me and for the alumni of Hicksville High School.

Bob Casale, Class of 1961

p.p.s. I have been chosen to initiate a monthly project where we would like to select an individual from any class and do a sketch of what has happened these past 40 years...30 years...20 years. All of you...if you know of someone in any class who has distinguished themselves, please submit their name and we will contact them and ask permission to do a sketch on them!!!

There is one other request...If you have a yearbook from your particular class, and have the capacity to scan pictures from that yearbook, please let us know. We have an idea that we would like to start in a subsequent newsletter. Just let us know if you can scan and transmit pictures.

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The Movie: Let the Good Times Roll

Many thanks to Walter Schmidt - 1965 for the information he provided on the above movie. Walter ran into one of the "guys" that played a "hood type" in front of the high school, at London's Heathrow Airport. This is the info on the movie;

Let the Good Times Roll - Release Year 1973
Cast; Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chubby Checker, Bob Diddley, Shirelles
Directors; Robert Abel & Sid Levin
Running Time; 99 minutes

A rock documentary, Let the Good Times Roll combines film clips from the 1950's with footage from a rock & roll revival show filmed in the early '70s. The Coasters jive their way through "Charlie Brown", Chuck Berry trading licks with Bo Diddley on a killer version of "Johnny B. Goode".
One of the few movies about '50s Rock that well and truly rocks. Let the Good Times Roll is a movie to play loud. Hopefully, in next months issue I will be able to provide information on how to obtain a copy of the movie and a price.

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