McCallum Class of 1976 and Friends Page

Hello, Friends.

This is Wanda Gage for the Scholarship Committee.

Thanks so much to all who have contributed toward the 2026 scholarship awards! We truly could not do this without each and every one of you!

If you have not yet made a donation toward this year's scholarship awards and still wish to, please make it in the next couple of days.

I'm going to talk a little about inspiration. As we grew up we were all inspired by those around us. I know that I was inspired by my hardworking, kind mother. Also, Mrs. Brandt inspired me in several ways. Inspiration truly affects the choices we make and the way that we strive to be better.

So who inspires the people on the Scholarship Committee? We know that our dear Theresa Hitt was inspired to create the Scholarship Fund by her experience with learning differences in her family, and the limited opportunities for students who have them.

We are inspired by the kids who apply for and receive the scholarships. Their applications are so earnest, and their joy upon receipt of the awards is tremendous.

And we are inspired by YOU, our class members, who show up and donate to kids who walk where we walked 50 years ago.

One of our biggest inspirations is classmate and friend Ronald Cheng . Following our progress over the years, Ronald has encouraged us to think bigger, and we have been doing that.

We are in the process of creating a new entity; a non-profit corporation that will solicit donations from all McCallum alumni. We plan to include specific memorial scholarships, if we have the funding. We will give you more information on this later.

Please note that any funds donated after April 10 may be transferred to the new organization discussed above.

Questions? You can post them in the comments, or contact me, Kevin Coward Theresa Hitt, Renee Clawson , or Rich Chavez (Chaffee).

We cannot thank you enough for the funds, friendships, and MAC spirit that endures over 50 years!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

UPDATE ON MHS ‘76 REUNION & VENMO INFO— JULY 17 & 18, 2026 — the BEST REUNION EVER #50!!!!

IMPORTANT re VENMO!!! My last name is WILKS (there is no E); the Venmo address is -Wilks-2); confirm it with 3261.
I’ve requested the person who received 2 payments return the money to those who paid them or send to me; waiting on response; doubtful she will.

EVENTS — (please let me know as soon as you can which events or all you’re attending & if bringing spouse/friend; respond to this post, text or email):

1) July 17th, am Friday — Golf game @ Star Ranch; have 2 teams of 4 so far; contact Ralph Gonzales & Jeff Lambert for info

2) July 17th, 6pm Friday — Rio Grande Tex-Mex, 1720 N. Mays St. in Round Rock

3) July 18th, 11am Saturday, Brunch/Lunch — Sirloin Stockade, 1723 N. I-35 in Round Rock
Immediately following lunch--please head over to American Legion Post 447, 1000 N. Georgetown St. in Round Rock, to help set up room (1.6 miles away from Sirloin Stockade)

4) July 18th, 5pm Saturday, Party — American Legion Post 447, 1000 N. Georgetown Street in Round Rock (same place we had the 45th)

COST FOR EACH EVENT:

1) Friday 17th night, 6pm @ Rio Grande Tex-Mex — pay your way for food & drinks/spirits

2) Saturday 18th, 11am Brunch/Lunch @ Sirloin Stockade — pay your way for food & drinks

3) Saturday 18th, 5pm Party @ American Legion; $75/person — catered

HOW TO PAY:

1) MHS 76 account — please make checks/cashier's checks payable to "MHS 76 Reunion". Mail checks/cashier's checks c/o Barbara Wilks, 3008 Cottonweed Trail, Cedar Park, TX 78613.

2) Venmo: please Venmo me (-Wilks-2; last 4 of cell-3261) and I'll transfer it to the MHS 76 Reunion account.

FACEBOOK:

We also have a "McCallum Class of 1976 and Friends Page" on Facebook --- if you haven't joined, please do!!!.

NO POLITICS EVENT:
Please note: the 50th is a NO politics allowed event (just like it’s been for the past 2-3 reunions)! This reunion is a time for us to come together and reminisce about all the fun times we had back when life was so much simpler…. I promise.... and there will be consequences; time out & dunce cap😃.

Love,
Barbara
512-914-3261
[email protected]

The 50th Reunion Committee
Barbara (Wilks) 512-914-3261 [email protected]
Cathy (Veldman-Goyne) 817-521-6370 [email protected]
Rachel (Mirick-Machac) 512-595-4307 [email protected]
Kevin (Coward) 224-612-2648 [email protected]
Brenda (Shelton) 512-497-1869 [email protected]
Rosie (Dierkens Luevano-Young) 512-971-5710 [email protected]
Al (Jones) 512-496-8938 [email protected]
Lisa (O'Donnell-Schraub) 830-708-0103 [email protected]
Theresa (Dawson Hitt) 512-470-3117 [email protected]

SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS

TO DONATE BY CASH OR CHECK:
Please mail to:
Kevin Coward
141 Alpine St.
Georgetown, TX 78628-2086

*Please NOTE that checks should be made payable to "David Kevin Coward."

TO DONATE VIA VENMO:
Search for -1976

TO DONATE VIA ZELLE:
Search my email: [email protected]

Please make all of this year's contributions by April 10, 2026. If you donate after April 1, we will gladly credit your donation toward next year's scholarship awards.

♥️THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS THIS ANNUAL EVENT. ♥️

Good evening, friends! This is Wanda Gage on behalf of the Class of 76 Scholarship Fund. If it is spring, it's scholarship time! 🌼🎓😁

First, thank you all for supporting this fund! We have been awarding scholarships since 2021, and McCallum graduates have received $12,500 from our class! That's you and me, putting our modest donations together and making a difference!

Our dazed and confused bicentennial class members grew up in a unique time and place. So many other people envy us because we were in Austin in the 1970's, and they are right to be jealous! Halcyon days and nights on the football field, at pep rallies, in Holiday House, and at the lakes. All in our bell bottoms and long hair. But I don't have to tell you. 💙

We had school pride and loved our city. We still do. The kids graduating now are more like we were than you might think - enthusiastic, apprehensive, loving their friends and eager to take those first steps into adulthood.

It is hard to describe the joy on the faces of these kids when we give them a check for $500 or $1,000, Last year we awarded a check to a young woman in her classroom, and were walking back to the counselor's office when the young woman came running after us. She had her mother on FaceTime on her phone. Her mom wanted to thank us personally for the check. Mom and daughter were crying, and some of us were on the verge. These seniors are always so grateful..

We age, but we still have vital links back to our time at McCallum. Friendships that we still honor. Life lessons that we learned and still remember. Memories galore.

Our scholarship fund is another link to our past. More importantly, it is an investment in the future of young people who walk where we walked 50 years ago.

Kevin detailed how donations can be made in his recent email. I will also post those details in a separate post here, so they won't get lost.

Please give as you are able..Questions or comments? Contact me, Kevin Coward, Renee Clawson, Theresa Hitt or Rich Chavez (Chaffee).
Thanks so much for being such a great group of friends and loyal MAC Knights. ♥️

Reposting this for our page…

Darrell Crofts passed away 🎵😥🎶 3/25/2026

Our McCallum HS Class of 1976 picked the Band, Seals’ and Crofts’ song “We May Never Pass This Way (Again)”

The song was released in 1973. It was the year our Class started school that year at MAC.

Dash Crofts, Half of ‘Summer Breeze’ Soft Rock Duo Seals & Crofts, Dead at 85 Dash Crofts' death has been confirmed by his family. The Seals & Crofts singer died at age 85.

‘76 Classmates — I have a really important request; some of you may know that our Cathy (Elder) Gibson has dementia. Her birthday is March 23rd…. If you could, please send her a birthday card; I know she would love to get lots of cards on her special day. Will she remember who you are — probably not, but you remember who she is. She’s brought a lot of smiles and a lot of love to us over the years - would like to give some of that back.
Please mail to:
Cathy Gibson
23088 West FM 580
Lometa, TX 76853

Love,
Barbara

Please keep our ‘76 classmate Debbie Barnard Bartz in your thoughts and prayers — her Dad passed away 3/08. Visitation will be Monday, March 16, 5-7pm at Cook Walden on North Lamar.
A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, March 17 at Memorial Hill cemetery, 11am-12pm. Memorial Hill cemetery is the cemetery just before the Cook Walden cemetery in Pflugerville.

Obituary —
Jerry Barnard, 91, passed away on March 8, 2026, at his home in Austin, Texas. He lived his life to the fullest!
Jerry, a native Austinite, was born on November 7, 1934, to Harlie and Margie Barnard. He attended Pease Elementary, the University of Texas Junior High and Austin High School, where he graduated in 1953. He enlisted in the United States Army and served at Fort Bliss, Texas until 1956. He received numerous athletic awards during his Army service.
In March 1957, Jerry joined the Austin Fire Department. The same year he met and married Betty Louise Barnett. At the time of his death, they were married 68 years.
Jerry was an avid fisherman that spent many a day on Central and East Texas lakes. As a member of the Austin Bass Club, he won Big Bass of the Month numerous times. He enjoyed hunting and golf in his spare time. He loved University of Texas sports and the San Antonio Spurs.
In 1989, Jerry retired from the Austin Fire Department as a Lieutenant. He always wanted to live on the lake and as soon as his lovely wife retired, they moved to Lake Falcon in Zapata, Texas, where they lived for approximately 32 years.
When not at home fishing, Jerry and Betty enjoyed traveling on cruises and visiting other states for site seeing adventures, including a casino or two!
Jerry is survived by his wife Betty; their children Debbie and Michael Bartz and Jerry Barnard. His grandchildren: Melissa and Rey Espinosa, Scottye and Allen Pannell, Josh and Candice Bartz. Jerry was known to his 6 great grandchildren as Pops and they made him chuckle quite often: Tanner, Greyson, Audrey, Gus, Montgomery and Rox will miss him dearly.
The family will receive visitors on Monday, March 16, 2026, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Cook-Walden North Lamar Funeral Home. A Graveside Service will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 11:00am at Cook Walden-Memorial Hill Cemetery.

Reminder ❤️ today 1-3pm; memorial service for Greg Knue

UPDATE ON MHS ‘76 — JULY 17 & 18, 2026 — the BEST REUNION EVER #50!!!!

EVENTS — (please let me know as soon as you can which events or all you’re attending & if bringing spouse/friend; respond to this post, text or email):

1) July 17th, am Friday — Golf game @ Star Ranch; have 2 teams of 4 so far; contact Ralph Gonzales & Jeff Lambert for info

2) July 17th, 6pm Friday — Rio Grande Tex-Mex, 1720 N. Mays St. in Round Rock

3) July 18th, 11am Saturday, Brunch/Lunch — Sirloin Stockade, 1723 N. I-35 in Round Rock
Immediately following lunch--please head over to American Legion Post 447, 1000 N. Georgetown St. in Round Rock, to help set up room (1.6 miles away from Sirloin Stockade)

4) July 18th, 5pm Saturday, Party — American Legion Post 447, 1000 N. Georgetown Street in Round Rock (same place we had the 45th)

COST FOR EACH EVENT:

1) Friday 17th night, 6pm @ Rio Grande Tex-Mex — pay your way for food & drinks/spirits

2) Saturday 18th, 11am Brunch/Lunch @ Sirloin Stockade — pay your way for food & drinks

3) Saturday 18th, 5pm Party @ American Legion; $75/person — catered

HOW TO PAY:

1) MHS 76 account — please make checks/cashier's checks payable to "MHS 76 Reunion". Mail checks/cashier's checks c/o Barbara Wilks, 3008 Cottonweed Trail, Cedar Park, TX 78613.

2) Venmo: please Venmo me (-Wilks-2; last 4 of cell-3261) and I'll transfer it to the MHS 76 Reunion account.

FACEBOOK:

We also have a "McCallum Class of 1976 and Friends Page" on Facebook --- if you haven't joined, please do!!!.

NO POLITICS EVENT:
Please note: the 50th is a NO politics allowed event (just like it’s been for the past 2-3 reunions)! This reunion is a time for us to come together and reminisce about all the fun times we had back when life was so much simpler…. I promise.... and there will be consequences; time out & dunce cap😃.

Love,
Barbara
512-914-3261
[email protected]

The 50th Reunion Committee
Barbara (Wilks) 512-914-3261 [email protected]
Cathy (Veldman-Goyne) 817-521-6370 [email protected]
Rachel (Mirick-Machac) 512-595-4307 [email protected]
Kevin (Coward) 224-612-2648 [email protected]
Brenda (Shelton) 512-497-1869 [email protected]
Rosie (Dierkens Luevano-Young) 512-971-5710 [email protected]
Al (Jones) 512-496-8938 [email protected]
Lisa (O'Donnell-Schraub) 830-708-0103 [email protected]
Theresa (Dawson Hitt) 512-470-3117 [email protected]

Update on the MHS ‘76 BEST REUNION EVER!!!!

July 17-18, 2026

1) Friday 17th, am — golf game
Star Ranch ($120 green fees; have 2 teams of 4 so far; contact Ralph Gonzales & Jeff Lambert)

2) Friday 17th, 6pm (pay your way)
Rio Grande Tex-Mex Restaurant & Bar, 1720 N. Mays, Round Rock

3) Saturday 18th, 11am — brunch/lunch (pay your way)
Sirloin Stockade, 1723 N. I-35 in Round Rock
****Immediately following lunch--please head over to American Legion Post 447, 1000 N. Georgetown St. in Round Rock, to help set up room (1.6 miles away from Sirloin Stockade)****

4) Saturday 18th, 5pm
American Legion Post 447
1000 N. Georgetown St., Round Rock
Same place we had the 45th
We’ll have a party and some great awards!!!!

Cost:

Friday night - pay your way; donation to the class accepted

Saturday night - $75/person (on your own if you want spirits).

Please make checks/cashier's checks payable to: "MHS 76 Reunion". Mail checks/cashier's checks c/o Barbara Wilks—private message, text or email for address.

If you have Venmo, you can Venmo me (Barbara) and I'll transfer it to the MHS 76 Reunion account; private message, text or email for info.

Please note: our 50th is a NO politics allowed event (just like it’s been for the past 2-3 reunions)! This reunion is a time for us to come together and reminisce about all the fun times we had back when life was so much simpler…. I promise.... and there will be consequences; time out & a dunce cap😃.

Barbara

The 50th Reunion Committee
Barbara (Wilks) 512-914-3261 [email protected]
Cathy (Veldman-Goyne) 817-521-6370 [email protected]
Rachel (Mirick-Machac) 512-595-4307 [email protected]
Kevin (Coward) 224-612-2648 [email protected]
Brenda (Shelton) 512-497-1869 [email protected]
Rosie (Dierkens Luevano-Young) 512-971-5710 [email protected]
Al (Jones) 512-496-8938 [email protected]
Lisa (O'Donnell-Schraub) 830-708-0103 [email protected]
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For our MHS ‘76 classmate Greg Knue from his daughter Cacey Linebaugh

Hi ‘76 classmates —
I know it may be early to ask this, but we need a tentative head count (you & if you're bringing someone) for the Friday night event, Saturday brunch/lunch, and Saturday night event -- to make sure each room is large enough.

Please respond below w/ a number 1 or 2 beside each event:

Friday night -
Saturday brunch/lunch -
Saturday night -

I’ve also sent email — please respond
to one of these requests.
Again, if you didn’t receive an email, it means I don’t have your email address or we have a bad one.

Thank you!!!’