10/22/2025
I know. Where are the pictures from the BIG PIKE COMBINED REUNION? I PROMISE to share more of them later today.
But for all those who experienced this fantastic event, I wanted to re-share the opening comments from our MC, Marvin Eggleston -- partly because we had a few initial issues with the sound levels of the microphone, as well as ongoing conversations in the hall. But mostly because Marvin's comments were SO creative and catered to our Pike family. His use of metaphors and analogies were absolutely beautiful and appropriate. Since I personally couldn't hear/understand all of this creative prose, I am sharing it with everybody on this forum.
And please share any photos that you may have taken on the comments section below or by emailing them to [email protected].
And that's off to Marv for his outstanding opening story:
"It's been a quiet week in Pike Township, my hometown.
There's a family of eagles that sometimes roost about 75 yards south of the Ornithology Center at Eagle Creek Park.
While we were little kids, J.K. Lilly, grandson of Eli Lilly was buying up 3,600 acres that would become the 2nd largest city park in the United States.
Eagle Creek Park and the Trader's Point Historic District is the crown jewel of Pike.
A lot of people sacrificed a lot to preserve a part of Pike.
The mother eagle in the pine tree speaks softly but firmly, the father goes and gets dinner. The sister is bigger and squawks constantly, she is entering 6th grade, sits in the front row and raises her hand all the time.
She, like many of the girls, picks a small instrument to play in the band. Sort of like Debbie Morrow, Susie Roetter, Patti Flanigan, Ann Burke and Amanda Ehrenford.
The smaller brother is a better flyer and hunter. He sits in the back of the class and hopes he doesn't get called on. He plays the tuba and watches Weldon Morgan go around to each section of the band and show them how to play their instruments. (Just amazing)
The little brother is good at math thanks to Marge Morgan. The squawking big sister is good at English and is bound to become a lawyer.
Water fills the reservoir partially supplied by a thousand sump pumps installed by Metzler plumbing. Run off from Ma**ca Callahan's, Susan Bridgewater's and Bonnie Flick's houses help fill it. Trees planted by Bill and David Todd's nursery serve as perches for a myriad of birds.
6 swans parade in the lake reminding one of the football home coming court, or majorette's in the band, or cheer leaders. (Swans indeed)
A group of 11 pelicans pass through. They came after the reservoir was filled. They were mostly attracted by the smell of Mrs. Caesar's chocolate chip cookies.
When they go out to fish they swim in a half circle, like a fishing net encircling a school of fish.
The center pelican reminds you of Denny Almas with Gary Taylor and Glenn Ozols on his left and Doug Boyer and Steve Regal on his right. None of them puts their beaks in the water till the quarterback pelican in the middle gives the signal, then they all feed at once.
In February, the Sandhill Cranes pass over Bud and Ann Bernhardt's house on their way to the Wasatch Mountains north of Salt Lake City, where Ginger Soper hiked with her family. They, like her, took a little piece of Pike with them on their migration. For Ginger it's the memorial organ in the Salt Lake City Methodist Church.
An uncle eagle soared to the fishing ground near Lafayette taking a piece of Pike with David Woods.
For the pelican's their migration takes a little piece of Pike to the intercoastal waterways near Melbourne, Florida where Bev and Randy share that little piece of Pike with the students they mentored there.
As I end my hike, I hear the little tea cup of a bird, a pair of Carolina wren's singing "We are loyal to you Pike High" and in reprise I hear a mating pair of Pileated Wood Peckers sing "We're the red and the white Pike High".
Well, that's all the news from Pike this week. Where all the Grandmother's are strong, all the Grandfather's are good looking and all the Grandchildren are above average."
