2021 Minutes of the MHS Alumni Banquet
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The 72nd Annual
Morocco High School Banquet was held in the Morocco Community Center this
year on Saturday, May 29, 2021 The Morocco Alumni Association held their annual banquet at the Morocco Community Center. There was approximately 115 to 120 alumni and guests attending the banquet catered by Suzanne Frey of Rensselaer, Indiana. We had a very good turnout for our “Old Gold & Black” social hour preceding the banquet. Everyone was visiting and catching up with former classmates and friends. It was great to see everyone. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 welcomed everyone to the alumni and was glad to see so many here. The President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 honored Warren (Bud) Johnson’44 for the oldest alumni member and Jim Dawson’49 also was honored. They both received a Gift Certificate for Cracker Barrel. We were so glad they could attend the alumni this year. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 asked everyone to stand who was in the military, honored them all with a flower and thanked them for their service. Florence Bertram Burnside’65 read a poem in honor of all the veterans and Dale Floyd’65 led everyone in the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 introduced the officers for this year. Cheryl Merchant Newell’68, President; Mike Shireley’68, Vice-President; Pat Schanlaub Wynn’65, Secretary/Treasurer; JoAlice Warne Belt’65, Recording Secretary; and Judy Cupp Schultz’58, Historian. Our President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 introduced Dennis Boyd’61 for the invocation preceding the banquet. Before he said his prayer, he told us a funny story which made us all laugh. He then gave us a great prayer before we ate our wonderful meal. Cheryl then thanked the girls that was helping some of the alumni members that needed help. It was very much appreciated. They were: Robin Wilson, Becky Crews, Cheryl’s niece and friend. We also thanked Suzanne Frey from Rensselaer for preparing this delicious meal for us. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 announced the class that were honored. There was no one for the classes of 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, and 1955. Jack Storey spoke for the class of 1956. The classmates and spouses had a gathering out at Jack’s house before the alumni and it was great to see everyone again. He was so glad to see that so many got to come, since half of the classmates have passed away. Jack introduced everyone and had them stand. Stew Hammel spoke for the class of 1960. There wasn’t too many classmates there but enjoyed the evening with everyone. Ted Hayes spoke for the class of 1961. He told us some really funny stories that made us all laugh. He said they had a great class and had lots of fun. He thanked us for inviting all of them. JoAlice Warne Belt spoke for the class of 1965. We had a small group of classmates here this evening but we’re very glad to see all of them. It is fun to go down memory lane and catch up with each other. Our class was the biggest class to graduate from Morocco High School, 75 in our class and we had so much fun. Henry (Hank) Dick spoke for the class of 1966. He said he loved the people in Morocco and was glad to be back. Said their class was a great class and it was fun seeing everyone here tonight. Thanks for inviting us here tonight. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 wanted to give thanks to David DeKoker for all his hard work that he has done for the Morocco High School Alumni Web-site. He has so many articles to read, school history, photos taken, Alumni Military Veterans, our school song, and much more. Please see for yourself and go on this web-site, it is great! To show him our appreciation for everything he does, we are honoring him with a Gift Certificate. Thanks David. Our President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 passed the hat around to our free will donation for our Ruth Corbin Scholarship now known and maintained by the Jasper-Newton Community Foundation. We need our donation to keep our scholarship going. Dan Blaney’63 spoke and said we have $5500.00 in our account right now. We usually give $1000.00 to someone that is chosen to receive this award every year. This year Keley Evans was chosen by the North Newton Staff for this award and she goes to North Newton High School. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 read off all of the names of the alumni that have passed away since the alumni invitations were sent out. They are: Evelyn Bushman Telford 4/2/21, class of 1958; Pauline Doty Bennett 4/9/21, class of 1956; Bob Goddard 4/10/21, class of 1951; Gary Bouse 4/18/21, Class of 1963; Kathie Merrill Johnson 4/21, class of 1967; Gloria Holderby Garmong 5/2/21, class of 1963; Vern Denton 5/7/21, class of 1950; and Betty Northcutt Chernoski 5/27/21, class of 1966. Our President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 mentioned if anyone wanted to read the minutes to our last alumni which was May, 25th,2019, they could go to the MHS Web-site and read it from there. We voted on the minutes from 2019 and it was approved. The treasurer’s report was read by Pat Schanlaub Wynn’65 and was approved. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 also brought up about needing a Vice-President for next year. Dan Blaney’63 spoke up and accepted the job as Vice-President for next year. Our President for next year will be Mike Shireley’68; Vice-President will be Dan Blaney’63; Secretary/Treasurer will be Pat Schanlaub Wynn’65; Recording Secretary will be JoAlice Warne Belt’65; and Historian will be Judy Cupp Schultz’58. Alumni members voted and accepted the nominations for the officers for 2022. President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 explained why we didn’t have the alumni in 2020, yes it was because of COVID. We just wanted everyone to be safe. Then in January I found out we didn’t have a caterer for the 2021 alumni because Mike Shireley’s daughter (our caterer) had a conflict, her daughter was graduating on that same day as our alumni and of course couldn’t come. We did find another caterer, Suzanne Frey from Rensselaer and thought it would be nice if she had a kitchen. We love the Morocco Gym but thought maybe it might be better to have it at the Morocco Community Center instead, since it was less expensive, a lot more parking and of course it has a kitchen. She asked what the alumni members thought about having it here at the Community Center. Someone spoke up and said if it is less expensive here and works better, then it doesn’t matter where we have it as long as we are all together. No one disagreed, so I guess we will be having the alumni here next year at the Morocco Community Center. Our President Cheryl Merchant Newell’68 ended the alumni with the cheerleaders leading us in the school song. The cheerleaders were: JoAlice Warne Belt’65; Carol Potts Warring’63; Carolyn Holley Geller’67; Carolyn Merchant Wiltfang’62; and Linda Mashino Gibson’57. We also appreciate the people who helped set-up the tables & chairs and decorated the tables, they were: Cheryl & Joe Newell; Pat Wynn; Florence Burnside; and Becky Crews. Thanks again! JB, MHS Recording Secretary |