Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th +1 Reunion

Share the memories with others. Please send up to 5 favorite photos and we will compile them and share with you. Send to: [email protected]

Thanks again for being part of the celebrations!

More reunion nugguts! Saturday night dinner at Fairlawn CC

Class reunion nuggets!
Friday night mixer

How much do you remember?🧠

⚡A reminder that the cost for our Saturday night dinner at Fairlawn CC will increase after August 31st, save $$ by getting your reservation in before‼

🎤Firestone High School, Class of '71 & '72, 50th+1 Reunion presents for one night only!
📣At the Highland Theater in beautiful Highland Square of Akron, Ohio
Friday, September 9, 2022, 6:30-10:30 P.M.
Get your reservations in and let's get this party started‼

This is our last official newsletter before our September 9th-10th Reunion Weekend!

Tickets are still available for both Friday Night at the Highland Theatre and Saturday night at Fairlawn Country Club. You can get more information or register online at http://Firestone1971.classquest.com. Don't forget that the Saturday night dinner is $71 until August 31 and then the price will increase to $81.

We will send out registration confirmations in early August as well as any available updated information about the weekend. Feel free to reply to this email with any questions.

The Class of '71 Reunion Committee

August Newsletter

If you get hungry during your visit to Akron, we have a few ideas….

A perennial favorite (and LeBron James too) would be Swensons. The two closest locations are at Walhaven at Hawkins Ave/W Market St. or behind RadAir in Montrose. www.swensonsdriveins.com

There are some locals who prefer Skyway burgers and rings…still in the same location in front of Fairlawn Plaza. www.skywayrestaurants.net

Lanning’s is experiencing a resurgence with new owners near Ghent Square. They still have the formal dining room and a sophisticated bar with music. www.lannings-restaurant.com. Same is true with the golfer’s favorite steak place-the Diamond Grille entering downtown. www.diamondgrille.com

If you are in the Valley, try the mussels or their in-house distilled gin at The Merchant Tavern on Merriman Road near McDonald’s. Or cruise down memory lane with the Iacomini family at Papa Joe’s Restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road heading towards the national park. www.themerchanttavern.com www.papajoes.com

Since our Friday night gathering has moved out of downtown, you might want to check out the previous venue, the Knight Stage at the Civic next to Lock 3 Park. Across the street is the famous Peanut Shoppe-still worth the stop. In the same block as the Civic is the new location of Crave Restaurant, now in a former bank building. Check out www.downtownakron.com for their self-guided walking tour of the historic sites. www.thepeanutshop.com
www.eatdrinkcrave.com

Also downtown is the iconic Luigi’s for pizza and salads piled high with mozzarella. Be prepared to stand in line. Also, off Howard Street, past the train station on your left is Lock 15-a fun micro-brewery bar with very good bar food situated on the Canalway Towpath. www.luigisrestaurant.com www.lock15brewing.com

Ken Stewart is a local restauranteur who has two locations for hearty entrees and cocktails, one in the old Foley’s location at Pershing Ave/West Market St or out in Bath at his Lodge on Cleveland Massillon Rd. www.kenstewartsgrille.com

If you are staying at the Hilton, we would recommend The Rail located in the front of Summit Mall for local brews and burgers. Or travel further on Ghent Rd. to Vaccaros Trattoria for Italian specialties. www.therailburger.com www.vactrat.com

Want to shop? While downtown check out Don Drumm’s Studio and Different Drummer Shop on Crouse St. in the blocks across from the University of Akron football stadium. Check out their website for his one-of-a-kind aluminum pieces! www.dondrummstudions.com

Near Luigi’s downtown is the Zeber-Martell Glass Studios where you can shop for many locally inspired blown glass gifts…check out their beautiful pears pieces. www.shop.zeber-martell.com

*Bunny B’s still makes the best sauerkraut balls which can be found in the frozen foods section of Acme and most Giant Eagle Stores.

🎙New info blast!

Introducing the band for the Get-together on Friday, September 9, 2022! Picture #1 from left to right: Ken Burkins, Art Baranoff, Steve Warner, Bill Blake, Jeff Freeman, Ted Pagel, Jim Medvedeff, and Pete Anastos. Picture #2 the band in 1971!! WOW!! (Tap on pics for full view)

In 4 months we will gather in Akron for the Reunion Weekend!

Just a gentle reminder to send in your reservations as soon as possible. You can make your reservations online at https://firestone1971.classquest.com/ or send in a check with the reservation forms that were mailed/emailed to you. We still have about 35 tickets available for the class of '71 for Friday Night at the Knight Stage. If we sell out, we will create a chronological waiting list in case we get cancellations. Fairlawn Country Club has plenty of room so they can easily accommodate our group.

We will notify you as soon as the schedule is confirmed for our tour of Firestone CLC. In addition to the reunion activities, we know that you will want to save time to check out Akron's new, revitalized and "old" sights and of course find time to visit Swensons or Skyway!🍔

The Class of '71 Reunion Committee

Our September 9-10 FHS ’71 Reunion is 5 months away and we are so pleased to see reservations arriving daily. So far we have classmates coming from Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, New York, Oregon, Pennsylviania and of course Ohio!

Please keep in mind that we are expecting a capacity crowd at the Knight Stage concert and are limiting sales to the first 250 attendees. Feel free to contact either Polly Porter Davis, [email protected] or Shelley Minster Koch, [email protected] if you have any questions about any of the festivities. CLICK here to check out our page.

Our next issue will highlight the incredible transformation of the Akron Public Schools.

The Class of '71 Reunion Committee

Dear FHS Class of '71

It's so much fun to see the excitement building for our Reunion Weekend. We've received several questions about the reunion weekend activities so we wanted to share the information to the entire group.

Friday, September 9th: FHS Classes of '71 & '72 Get-together at Knight Stage at the Akron Civic Theatre

Enjoy music by ten musicians, all (but one) are FHS bred from the Classes of '71 and '72 and are putting together a set of songs that you will recognize to dance and to sing along.

Time: 6:00 pm

Address: 128 S Main St, Akron, Ohio 44308

Admission: $20 per person (limit of 2 tickets per classmate and guest)

Please keep in mind that we have limited tickets and expect a capacity crowd. The Class of '71 and the Class of '72 EACH only have 125 tickets available to sell.

Saturday, September 10th: Firestone CLC Tour

Time: Approximately 10:00 am-1 pm (Please note: Akron Public Schools are not able to confirm the tour time until June)

Address: 470 Castle Blvd, Akron, Ohio 44313

Saturday, September 10th: Reunion at Fairlawn Country Club

Includes deluxe dinner, taxes, gratuities, FREE memory book/class directory ($15 value)

Time: 6:00 pm

Address: 200 N Wheaton, Akron, Ohio 44312

Admission: $71 per person if purchased by 8/31/2022. After that date the cost will be $81.

Accommodations for Out-of-Town Classmates

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton/Akron Fairlawn, 3180 W. Market St, Akron, Ohio 44333

$139.00+ tax/night/reserve by April 10, 2022

www.www.akronfairlawnhilton.com

Discount Code: FC71

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Shelley Minster Koch, [email protected] or Polly Porter Davis, [email protected]

It's March 1971. We are learning where classmates are going to college, or jobs or the military, or not sure yet. Stairway to Heaven was released. USSR performed an underground nuclear test. The Senate approved the amendment lowering the voting age to 18, which is why we all were able to vote in the presidential election in 1972.

And we were all ready to be done with classes, just bring on the fun. What were you thinking about that spring? Worried about? excited about?

Send your stories, thoughts, photos for the collection at the reunion in September. Have you signed up yet? The RSVP list is growing.

Send your memories to: [email protected]

Have a good week~

The Reunion Committee🦅

Absolutely!

Your reunion committee is very excited that our September 9-10 FHS ’71 Reunion invitations have been mailed and the registrations are rolling in. Reservations can be made online at Class of 1971 (Firestone High School) (classquest.com) and of course by snail mail. Please respond to this email if you need copies of the invitation emailed to you.

Keep in mind that we are expecting a capacity crowd at the Knight Stage concert and are limiting sales to the first 250 attendees. Please feel free to contact either Polly Porter Davis, [email protected] or Shelley Minster Koch, [email protected] if you have any questions about any of the festivities. CLICK here to check out our page.

We are thrilled with the positive responses to our newsletter! Many of you haven’t visited Akron in MANY years and we know that you will be impressed with how much there is to do and see.

Our next issue will highlight the historic Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens and the Fairlawn Country Club. Both of these iconic gems were made possible by the generosity of F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

March 2022 Newsletter update 2.20.22.jpg

Exciting!

A warm hello to all of our FHS 1971 classmates from a wintry Akron. We have received over 20” of the white stuff in the last several days and are enjoying the winter landscape.

Your Reunion Committee is kicking our planning into high gear in advance of our 51st Reunion Weekend of September 9-10, 2022. Invitations will be mailed (USPS) and/or e-mailed within the next two weeks and we would love to hear from you. Over the next seven months, we are going to send you destination fact sheets to excite and inform you about how Akron has transformed since we graduated in June,1971. We are hoping that we can finally celebrate all of our achievements after 51 years with each other. If you have not yet saved the weekend of September 9-10, 2022 to be with us, please add us to your calendars, gas up the car, book the flights, rent the hotel, and come see your classmates.

Two things are certain for this reunion – you will have fun and we are all 51 years older than graduation day. See you there!

Our next issue will spotlight the very busy Cuyahoga National Park which has been tagged "Your Backyard for 100 Years"!

The Class of '71 Reunion Committee

www.akroncivic.com

Dear FHS Class of 1971,

We are collecting memories to add to a book for our 50th + reunion….send a memory, photo, thought, story to [email protected]

By the end of October, we were deeply involved in our classes and activities. What teacher stands out for you? What was the class? Where did you sit? Was there a class you really struggled with? Where did you do homework – at the kitchen table, in your room, on the floor?

Thank you for the responses you are beginning to send - keep them coming!

The Reunion Committee

With a heavy heart our class has lost another member
Gary Church
R.I.P. 😢

We wish to welcome to our reunion committee
Kim Bond Hinkelman!

A walk down memory lane. You might have to dig deep for it.
Please share on our page a grad pic of you in your cap & gown! 🎓

To our fellow Firestone Class of 1971 Classmates,

It has been an interesting time to say the least. Your 50th Reunion committee started its planning early in order to locate our classmates with the intent of maximizing the participation of as many members of the class as we could.

However, Covid has clearly hit us pretty hard. When our committee met several weeks ago, it was decided to survey all of our classmates for whom we had an active email address. The survey asked several questions regarding expected attendance at our planned event for this September and preferences. We received app. 120 replies and it was clear that the vast majority preferred to be safe by postponing our plans until 2022. The key statistic was that the vast majority of those who indicated that they would be there this year had no reservations about delaying until 2022. There was a significant percentage that declined 2021 attendance due to uncertainty about the virus and the inherent travel questions but planned to join us if we postponed to 2022.

As a result, on Friday, January 22, the committee met again and voted to delay the Reunion weekend until September 9-11, 2022

This decision did not come lightly and our Committee stayed true to our objective of maximizing the attendance for one of the most important reunions that any class shares.

We ask two items from you :

1) That you add this date (weekend of 9/10-9/12/22) to your calendar and strive to join us and,

2) That you continue to assist us with contact data (email, home address, and cell #) of our classmates who remain out of touch.

During the remainder of 2021, you will begin receiving several Save The Date notices and then we will jump into the invitation phase beginning the first quarter of 2022.

It is our hope that you will join us in 2022 and that you stay safe in the interim. Our hope is that we all receive the vaccine (due to our advanced ages – LOL) very soon !!!

The FHS Class of 1971 50th Reunion Committee

P.S. Any questions/comments can be addressed to the committee at [email protected]
🦅

6 beautiful ladies all FHS grads - 4 from the class of '71 & 2 are
from the class of '70. Who's who & which grad class? :-)

5 grads from our class! Can you identify who's who? :-)

Craig Stephen Postal - Akron Beacon Journal

We have lost another member of our class... Craig Postal on January 11, 2021. Rest in peace Craig😢

Craig Stephen Postal - Akron Beacon Journal CUYAHOGA FALLS -Craig Stephen Postal, 67, earned his wings Monday January 11, 2021. Craig was born in Akron, Ohio on August 9, 1953 to Shirley and Walter Postal.

We have lost another classmate...
Ron Tedeschi passed away on January 2 after a battle with cancer. RIP Ron 😢

Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion

We have lost another classmate...
Bridget Rodgers
RIP Bridget

Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion Send a message to learn more.

We have lost another classmate...
Barb Benson Baglia
RIP Barbie

Robert Preston - Chicken Fat

Robert Preston - Chicken Fat If you went to school in the 60's or 70's, this is probably burned into a little corner of your brain. Allow me to access that little corner.

This page is not only for our 50th Class Reunion...
Anyone can share a memory or pic of our class. Let's hear from you!☮️

We have lost another classmate...
Shari Guttman😢🌸

Ladies and Gentlemen :

If you have received this email, you are already on our list with the needed contact information. Your 50th Reunion committee has been hard at work planning what we hope will be a fun-filled weekend in 2021!!!

The purpose of the email is to provide the weekend date so that schedules can be blocked and travel and accommodations can be considered. The selected weekend for the reunion will be September 10, 11, and 12 of 2021.

Tentatively, our weekend will consist of a Friday night cocktail party, tour of the new FHS on Saturday, dinner on Saturday, and a brunch on Sunday. Details of the weekend will be provided in future mailings and invitations. We are utilizing a professional reunion planning company to handle the details. There will be a website set up for reservations as well as mailed invitations for all known addresses.

We expect to be sending out “save the date” emails on 6/1/20 and 10/1/20 to the entire class (as we accumulate additional e-mail addresses) and formal invitations will occur during the first quarter of 2021.

Your reunion committee consists of :
Ken Burkins
Paula Porter Davis
Sue Lockshin Kattan
Shelley Minster Koch
Deborah Roe Lothes
Janet Marks Silverman

If there are any questions that we can answer at this time, please feel free to ask and we will do our best to promptly reply. We look forward to seeing you in 2021 !!!

PLEASE SEND YOUR CONTACT INFO TO KEN BURKINS EMAIL BELOW or IM so we get our database current: Name (Maiden & Married), Address, Phone/Cell, and Email ⤵️

📣📣📣📣📣📣📣[email protected]

Please join our Class of 1971 50th Reunion page and stay in the information groove.☮️

📣 Introducing your 50th Class Reunion Committee:
Ken Burkins, Chairman
Susan Lockshin Kattan, Shelley Minster Koch, Janet Marks Silverman, Deborah Roe Lothes,
Polly Porter Davis

Now it's easier to send Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion a message.

Now it's easier to send Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion a message.

Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion updated their business hours.

Class of '71 Firestone High School 50th Reunion updated their business hours.

You're invited to like our class reunion page to keep you informed on all of the festivities. Please feel free to add info, pics and memories!