President’s Note
by Ramona Ware, Class of ‘57

Hello again, Knights and Ladies, It seems almost impossible that another year is gone. Planning is already underway for this year. At the Board of Director’s meeting in October, a new group of officers was elected, and filled their new positions on January 1, 2009. At that meeting, the Directors decided that, since I had only served ½ of a term, I was eligible to serve as President again, for another term. This was also something of a necessity, since no one else was willing to “step up.” We still need more new blood to take the reins when we “old horses” just can’t pull the wagon any more. It was also determined at the meeting, that since Lynde Nash had also served in the position of Recording Secretary for only ½ term, that she was also eligible to serve in that capacity again.

The officers for the 2009-2010 term are as follows:

As you can see from the list above, our stats are improving, but we still have too many “oldies” in key positions. We have numerous committee chairmanship positions for those of you who would like to get involved. They don’t require too much time. We would LOVE to have some of you volunteer, either for a chairmanship, or as a worker bee on one of the committees.

The committees are:

During 2008, we spent your money on the following items/projects:

• Museum ($556.63) - Shelves, frames, glass, and miscellaneous supplies

• Kelly Maples ($500) - Last of $1000 Paulette Thrower scholarship

• NWC Drama ($50)

• Army ROTC ($250) - First time anyone had donated to them

• Art Department ($331.98) - Drying rack and trays for ceramics

• Chemistry Department ($1,504.51) - Equipment

• Teen Empower ($500) - Sex education for students, an unbelievable program

• Four Scholarships ($2,000) - $500 each to Nhi Nguyen, Yaseli Barios, Luisa Garcia and Kim Hoang

• Science Class ($250) - Field trip for the 9th grade academy

• Cheerleaders ($1,700) - New uniforms to help with school spirit. The old ones were about 13 to 14 years old. These will last a long time. They are passed on from year to year.

As Mary St. John is fond of saying, “There is power in $15.00.”
There is also power in volunteers.

If any of you are willing to get involved and help us,
please contact me at 405-721-3178 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ramona Ware

 Last Years Message:

Hi Knights and Ladies. Well, here we go – another year has graduated and passed.

There is a lot of information to pass along. 

We have a major need for a Treasurer.  Andy Seay, who has been the Treasurer since we began has been forced to resign due to health concerns.  We need a replacement as quick as you can volunteer.  If you have any accounting experience and can donate a few hours per month, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 We also want to thank Mike, profusely, for his time as webmaster. He didn’t just handle it; he single-handedly created the website, from scratch. He bought the domain space (I hope I’m using the correct term – I don’t really speak computerese), and built the whole website, with all its links, and did it beautifully. He also maintained it, by updating about reunions, newsletters, etc. Not only that, when I contacted him about reimbursing him for the costs involved, he wanted it left as a donation. We appreciate all the time (which was MANY months) and effort he put into its creation and maintenance. Mike, thank you, thank you!!!

 Also, in regard to the website, the Executive Committee voted, at our March meeting, to end our association with PayPal. Up until that time, people could join the Association through the website, and pay their dues through PayPal, but we determined that the bank was charging us too much for that capability and too few people were using it, to have it be fiscally responsible, so Mike has removed that option from the website. People will still be able to fill out the membership application online, print it out, and send it along with their dues.

 I want to commend Virgil Butler ’56. He has been working tirelessly, trying to find a way/place where we might be able to get a grant or grants, to help us help NWC. Also, he’s trying to determine if it is feasible for us to get some long term money to start an endowment fund, also thinking about some type of fund raising activity, for the same purpose. The information he has discovered will be discussed at the next Exec. Committee meeting.

For nine years, Joe Baumhaft ’66, has been our Publications Chairman. Since Joe does not do computers, he and I have worked together during that time, with Joe doing interviews, and developing articles, and me doing composing and e-mails. It’s been a good combo that worked for us, but I know zilch about journalism, and for a long time, I’ve wanted our newsletter to look better. That’s not going to happen with me doing that part of it, so we’ve been looking for someone to replace me in that capacity. Bill Whetstone ran into a teacher at NWC and discussed it with her, and told me about her. About 2 weeks ago (as you’re reading this), I talked with her, and am really excited!!! Her name is Telannia Norfar ’94. Yes, that’s not a typo – Class of ’94. I can’t believe how long we’ve been trying to get younger people involved, and now, not only do we have Lynde Nash, our new Secretary from ’74, but Chris from ’78, and Telannia from ’94. I’m almost giddy. I have appointed Telannia to the Publications Chair, along with Joe. We’ve discussed it, and they have agreed to act as Co-Chairman. What is really wonderful, is that Telannia studied journalism, and has appropriate programs to develop the newsletter without all the problems I have had, not to mention her knowledge and experience in that area. I’m looking forward to meeting her, face to face, and working with her. She’s another welcome addition to our group.

 
Now, a little about Bill Whetstone. As most of you know, Bill has served two terms as President of the Association – hard enough, but that’s the least of it. He has served in many other capacities, including Museum Chairman, currently, and has spent untold hours at NWC with the principal, teachers, counselors, and coaches, and as Special Liaison between school and the Association, as you will notice in the following pages. He has worked tirelessly, over many years, and is still doing it. Actually, he’s at school more than some of the teachers, and lots of the students. He and Judy (his loving, longsuffering school widow) met while both of them were working on the Executive Committee and married on Valentines Day several years ago, so he has gained more for his efforts than just civic satisfaction. On May 13^th they attended the NWC Awards Assembly, where he presented the scholarships that were given by the Association, and he and Judy also presented a scholarship from the two of them, personally. They are an unbelievable pair. Bill got a special surprise that night. He thought he was only there to present awards, but was called forward to receive a very special award himself, that was given to him by the counselors, in appreciation for his service to the school. We should all be very proud of Bill. Like Andy, Bill is a good man, a good friend, and I will treasurer them both, always.

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