30 Year Reunion planned for November 2015

Planning is underway to gather again to connect and remember.
7, 14 or 21 November 2015
We are looking for a venue as Brookvale Hotel will be under construction.
Helpers welcome

Ask to join the facebook group 'The Forest High 30 year reunion - Class of '85 ( Year 12)'
https://www.facebook.com/groups/608961182542410

pierson.neil@gmail.com

Oh what a night

Congratulations to everyone who came to Brookvale Hotel after overcoming fears, distance, being very pregnant, or even the threat of Mr Duck Chong's detentions for smoking, drinking, wearing dangly earings and being out of uniform all at the same time. I felt it was a great night with 118 people attending and the feedback both verbally, and since by email has been brilliant.

Check out the rest of this site and then go to ...
PHOTOS & NEWS from other students at http://foresthighphotos.blogspot.com/
(Thanks to Karen Eivers for photos)

See higher resolution photos and a slide show, PLUS add your own photos at:
http://www.snapfish.com/ - log in using...
User email: reunion@gdaymate.com.au
Pasword: reunion

Karen Eivers has also set up an internet forum at http://foresthighforum.proboards75.com/index.cgi

Email: pierson.neil@gmail.com

Statistics on the reunion

The Forest High School 20 year reunion 2005

For those among you who like numbers.

Total students on the list - 247 (may be a couple more – 122 male, 125 female)
Total of all addresses invitations were sent to - 214 (87%)
Total of students FOUND - 191 (78%)
Students TBC - believed FOUND but never responded - 16 (7%)
LOST students - 41 (17%)

Total attendance on the night - 118 (including teachers and partners)
Students attending night – 106 (52 male, 54 female)
Students attending only BBQ - 3
Total students attending - 109 (44%)

One student asked why we couldn’t find everyone. The main reasons were
*Parents moved
*No one knew how to contact them
*A common name in google
*A common surname in the white pages

(Some people I chased harder but generally drew the line at 6 phone calls to potential relatives.)

Our apologies for everyone LOST who would have liked to be FOUND, plus to everyone FOUND who would have rather stayed LOST. That after 20 years we could find over 80% of students is amazing. To me it is even more amazing that 109 came, and that more would have liked to.

Neil’s comments and next reunion

Thank you.

I wanted to say a bit more at the night but my son’s Karaoke machine, which manages to blast our play room was a bit limited with so many people. (Jenny and I will just have to enjoy singing Bye Bye Birdie Karaoke at home).

After all the work, emails, phone calls, searching and admin behind the scenes I have to tell you it was worth it. The reason is because relationships are important and all too easy to forget. As this year started I knew I would regret it if I didn’t at least try to see if a reunion could be arranged. I aim to live a life without regrets so am thrilled it came together, and amazed at the response.

Thank you to Nyrie McDonald and Melissa Murray for arranging the 10 year reunion. Thanks to Kathy Baker for talking to me on that night because without it this 20 year reunion may not have happened.

My goal was not so much for the night but to simply give people an excuse, and a reminder to reconnect. I am thrilled that this has happened, even for people who could not attend the functions. For most of you your reunion was just four hours on one night. For me I have had the great benefit of spreading it over several months and catching up with so many people – including many of my own friends who couldn’t attend.

On Sunday morning a few hours after the reunion I took my two daughters to church at 8.00am. (Jenny and my son were in bed after vomiting through the night – which is why Jenny disappeared early in the night). In church I felt extremely grateful for my life, my family, my friends, having a home on the Northern Beaches, and the positive impact that my years at school had – not just finding my wife!! I am grateful also that Wes Dart and I continue to meet for an hour one morning a week to talk, walk and pray. We have done that at least 45 times a year since we left school.

As I saw many of you I was reminded again of some of the decisions I made during my time at school. Let me tell you a story about a significant weekend way back in October of 1984.

Friday night: For six months I had worked very hard to make the most of our Young Achievers company. As a result of this company I decided not to be an architect and study business. I was the Managing Director with Debbie Moers, James Rutherford, Robert Campbell, Miles Rooke, Wes Dart and other students from Killarney and Davidson. The Friday night was our end of year celebration. Many people got drunk and I actually had a completely miserable time.

Saturday night: I went to the Year 11 formal with Jenny Long and sat at a table of Christians. We had a such a fun night and there was no alcohol in sight.

Sunday night: I went to church with Wes Dart and Rodney Davidson. I didn't understand it all, but that night I invited Jesus into my life. Whatever these Christians had I wanted.

It has been in church that I receive ongoing education about life – how to give and receive forgiveness, to not be a spectator in life, to be grateful and generous, build a strong marriage, and how to raise children. It is the sort of stuff I never learned in all my years in the classroom. (My church for the past 20 years is Christian City Church Oxford Falls. Check it out at www.ccc.org.au or set the video recorder for Channel 10, 5.30am Saturdays. For those with kids Wes Dart runs a brilliant 10 week course on parenting called Childwise. It is highly practical and a course that is taught around the world http://www.bridgeway.cc/).

On the reunion night I was also reminded of fun times, acts of friendship, and acts of cruelty – the pain of which, even 20 years later kept at least one person away. We would hope that 20 years would heal hurts, but for some being contacted has opened old wounds. Another person expressed new admiration for those students who had the confidence in school to be themselves and not just fit the mould.

Mr Duck Chong was a big hit. I am SO grateful he came, appreciate his encouragement, and that he was willing to come to a hotel of all places! (In his words it was a "It was a truly memorable and magnificent night").

I was also encouraged that many people developed their giftings during school years. Khalil Abdallah, Louise Ramsay, Fatima De Assis, Kristina Hjorth and Graham Hilgendorf all now earn their living from music. Angela Leith and Tania Wursig are artists. Many who did Enginering Science with me are architects and engineers.

So will there be another reunion? No promises, but judging by the response this year I think it is a pretty safe bet. 20 years ago we sang Auld Lang Syne “should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind”. The real reunions are now up to you. Have some friends over for dinner, meet in a park with the kids, make a phone call or send an email. Make use of http://www.aussieschoolmates.com.au/ so that those who want to contact you can. (See some photos from the 30 year reunion from the class of 1975 at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~foresthighreunion/photo_gallery.htm)

If I do not have a postal address for you PLUS your parents or sibling, PLUS which other students you are in touch with to help track you down in five or ten years, please send an email to reunion@gdaymate.com.au today.

Put Saturday 13th November 2010 and Saturday 14th November 2015 in your diary just in case!! See you then– if not before.

Phew – aren’t you glad now the microphone didn’t work :)

$700 to be donated to school

When organising the night we had no way of knowing how many would come. We thought 60 would be safe and guessed at how many would pay upfront. I wanted to ensure that the night was cheap enough that finances didn’t stop anyone. The 30 year Forest High reunion being held the same night at Dee Why was $90 a head. We wanted to give an incentive to pay upfront both to make our job easier and cover the expenses incurred before the night.

As a result of such a great response, plus Brookvale Hotel deciding only to charge us for 100 people instead of the actual 118, and more people choosing to wait and pay extra on the night we have ended up with an excess of $700.

My original idea was to donate any potential extra funds to Scott Green who was sick in hospital, but he asked us to find a more worthy charity. Another suggested support groups for Missing Persons as a way of remembering Alan Campbell and the support needed by his family. Another suggested medical equipment for a hospital as they had experienced first hand with the birth of their children how important it was.

My wife Jenny suggested the Forest High School seing we all had it in common. I rang the school and talked to the Principal Peter Gillam about the idea. He was naturally enthusiastic and spoke of paying for signs around the school, or library material, or electrical equipment. Then he mentioned that some students, and their parents, struggle financially and I was hooked. In our own year at school some students came from wealthy families, some from poor and a lot in the middle. Some missed out on school experiences like Jindabyne and Leeton because of tight finances at home.

It isn’t a lot of money but hopefully $700 can help a couple of students have a few more positive memories of school. So on your behalf I am donating the proceeds from the night to the school to be given to these families at the school's discretion.

Alan Campbell’s Story

Peta Jones explained some of the story about how Alan Campbell from our year disappeared and was missing for many years. Eventually his bones were discovered at Shelly Beach. The cause of death has remained uncertain.

I also learnt at the reunion that Alan was a brilliant archer and lived self sufficiently from the land for several months. He was also a champion cyclist.

On the Friday before the reunion I finally tracked down Robert and Alan’s father in Perth and we talked for about 20 minutes. Clive was excited and I also felt his sorrow. Alan’s brother Robert now lives n Geneva Switzerland.

Here is part of an email Robert sent me…
A great surprise to hear from you after all these eons of time. I much appreciate all the effort you have gone to to reach me. Of course, with a little more warning I would have put everything on hold and instantly jetted over there for such a prestigious event, but unfortunately, as it is tomorrow, I will sadly be unable to attend! Seriously though, it would have been great to catch up with everybody again, and I am disappointed that I won't be able to see you all. What is it, 20 years since we left that hallowed institution?

I met my wife Cathy travelling in New Guinea in '96, and she dragged me back to Geneva as a souvenir. She is not only beautiful, charming and intelligent, but also tolerant and patient enough to put up with me (8 years now), so I'm very lucky. I'm working over here as a vet, in French, enjoying the culture, the cuisine, the travelling opportunities, but less-so the weather, and missing the beach/sea, the cricket, and friends.

We have 3 children, all girls, identical twins of 5, Lara and Cecilia, and Ella, who is 7. All primarily francophone and French in nature, and haven't a clue what cricket is except that it's something papa spends a lot of time watching on tv, and that he seems to very often come home slightly drunk after playing. We just bought a house here a couple of years ago, so now looks as though we will probably be here "for ever", or at least until we retire, which, given the rapidity with which the last 20 years have disappeared, may not be so far away.

How did we all get so old? We have now all spent more time out of school than in it, something which scarcely seemed possible back then, when a day could last forever and a school term was the adolescent equivalent of eternity. Nothing like a school reunion to get one reminiscing... strange, 'cause I was just thinking about certain people from school last night, and wandering where they could be, and what they might be doing... must have been your thoughts travelling across the ether...

It's lovely that Peta will be mentioning Al tomorrow night, and that he is still fondly remembered and thought of. You can be sure that if he had been there, he would have partied hard, had a great time, and downed a few beers. The school years, in retrospect, were the happiest of Al's life, quite ironic for someone who hated school so much at the time! But that's probably something that's true for a lot of us...

Anyway, would have loved to have been there. Have a great night, and say g'day to everyone for me, and please keep in touch from time to time.

Regards,

Rob Campbell

Trivial Pursuit plus school song

Relive some memories with these Trivial Pursuit questions…

Q. Who stuffed lamb cutlets into their pockets to steal them from home science?
A. Leigh Brennan

Q. What is the name of the street where seniors used to go and smoke?
A: Bluegum Cres!

Q. What was the name of the Japanese exchange student to Forest High in year 10 (1983)?
A. Kohei Matsamoto

Q. Which member of NSW Parliament was a student at Forest High School?
A. Peter Debman (Leader of the opposition)

Q. Which morning TV presenter as a student at Forest high School?
A. David Koch

Q. Mrs Ramage was a music teacher. What letter was added to her name on the board to change its meaning
A. “P” to make it Mrs Rampage

Q. Which student in our year has a son starting year 7 at Forest High School in 2006?
A. Tanya Haynes

Q. Who was Dux of the Year 10?
A. Wes Dart

Q. Who was Dux of the Year 12?
A. Martin O'Connor

Q. Which five couples from our year married?
A. Ian Cradock and Paula Gibson, Chris Peck and Kym Stracey, Sean Gale and Jackie Heywood, Greg Mann and Lynette Arnold, Neil Pierson and Jenny Long

Q. What colour did we (year 12 of 85) paint the school BBQ?
A. Pink

Q. What was the name of the teacher who was the seniors" Head teacher"?
A. Mr Mac Lyndsay

Q. Who busked in the quadrangle with an Umbrella?
A. Paul Lyndon

Q. Who lost their teeth in the river at Bungonia Gorge?
A. Paul Lyndon

Q. What was the name of the the african child we sponsored?
A. Kahlil

Q. Which home science teacher demonstrated how to cook cheese on toast but left the cheese wrapped in plastic?
A. Mrs Greig

Q. Who's Mum insisted he drink a yard glass of milk instead of beer at his 18th Birthday Party? A. Ian Cradock

Q. What was the punishment for wearing dangly earings to school?
A. They were confiscated for the rest of the year.

Q. Which Science Teacher told his students to “stop oscillating between the desks”?
Q. Mr Reeves

OUR SCHOOL SONG
Setting our eyes ever upward
We of the Forest High
Look to the towering tree tops
Straining towards the sky
And we will strive ever hoping
That each may achieve their goalIn work and in play together
For the Forest, green, red and gold

Some of us strive for Coolabah
Boronia and Waratah too
Others will fight for Kurrajong
Each to his house is true
But we all stand united
When the deeds of the school are told
Our pride will live on forever
In the Forest green, red and gold

There will be different faces
As the long years roll by
Others will take our places
Bearing the torch on high
But no matter where we may tarry
We'll remember the friends of old
Still in our hearts we'll carry
The Forest green, red and gold

LOST & FOUND + who came along

Well done. Thanks to a lot of work, over 500 emails, mailing to last known addresses, schoolfriends website, white pages, google and phone calls we have tracked down an amazing 191 students - plus probably another 16 who did not respond. In total 85% of the 247 known students!!!

Our apologies to those we did not find, or who are not even included here, as it is not an official list. If you know how to contact any LOST people please still do so or send me their details reunion@gdaymate.com.au

The LOST girls... (or never responded)
Carol Bernhard - LOST
Jane Boyle - by email - TBC - Never responded
Lisa Burton - LOST
Katie Clarke - LOST
Belinda Ferguson - by last known address - LOST
Barbara Fitzgerald - by phone / no response - TBC
Jenni Fitzsimmons - via De Lange / no response - TBC
Caroline Foreman - via Wisbey / Hendy - TBC
Lisa Gurney - LOST
Simone Hall - LOST
Philippa Hamilton - LOST
Caroline Holmes - LOST
Louise Klaffenbock - by parents / via Wisbey - TBC
Wendy Liddle - LOST
Joanne Lyle - LOST
Kerrie McNiece - LOST
Carly Meiners - LOST
Tuyet Nguyen - LOST
Kathy O'Flaherty - by last known address - LOST
Anita Perryman - LOST
Janelle Pottie - by parents / no response - TBC
Sandie Short - LOST
Jackie Smith - via McDonald / no response - TBC
Dianne Speirs - LOST
Lisa Stokx - LOST
Fiona Taylor - by last known address - LOST
Narelle Telfer - by last known address - LOST
Amanda Townsend - LOST
Leanne Wright - via Feeney - TBC

The LOST boys... (or never responded)
Anthony Allman - by email - TBC - WA
Jeffrey Atherton - by parents / via Osbourne - TBC
Geoffrey Atkinson - by parents - TBC
Rodney Butler - LOST
Gary Castle - LOST
Mark Champion - by home - TBC - Never responded
John Chevalier - LOST
Simon Evans - LOST
Michael Gosling - via Goddard - TBC - Never responded
Darren Green - LOST
Drew Griffith - by Home - TBC - Never responded
Mark Hunt - LOST
Craig King - LOST
Craig Lowe - LOST
Paul Lyndon - LOST
Chris Matthieson - LOST
Sean McInerney - LOST
Allan Neuvonen - via Young - TBC - Poland
Micheal Osborg - LOST
Stephen Pilz - via Dane - TBC
Greg Reid - LOST
Daniel Ress - by last known address - LOST
Craig Roy - LOST
James Rutherford - by last known address - LOST
Wayne Thunissen - LOST
David Tooler - LOST
Sean Trenerry - LOST
Troy Wright - LOST

The FOUND Girls... (Yes means attended night function)
Tracey Allen - Yes + Partner
Sue Antcliff - Yes
Lynette Arnold - Yes
Megan Atkins - Yes
Pia Atkins - Yes
Kathy Baker - Planned to but did not come
Melinda Battey - Yes
Leigh Brennan - Yes
Megan Caller - Yes
Maureen Campbell - Yes
Melissa Carlisle - No
Belinda Chaney - Yes
Michelle Clark - No
Megan Clift - No - Albury
Janet Corbett - Yes
Penelope Coucill - Yes
Sue Cox - Yes
Jodie Crampton - Yes
Katrina Dane - No - New Zealand
Betina Davies - Yes
Fatima De Assis - No - Working
Lesley Dean - Yes
Stephanie Eakins - attended BBQ (from Melbourne)
Karen Eivers - Yes + friend from year above Leanne Seghers
Gretchen Ennis - No - Darwin
Loretta Evans - Yes
Michelle Faye - attended BBQ
Vanessa Feeney - Yes
Elizabeth Fowler - Yes
Rosanna Ganino - Never responded
Genevieve Gaunt - Yes
Paula Gibson - Yes
Karen Gibson - No
Lesa Gorrell - Yes
Michelle Gregory - Yes
Fabienne Guilbaud - Yes
Jackie Hawkins - Yes
Tanya Haynes - attended BBQ - Keen but unavailable for night
Nicole Hendy - Yes
Jacqui Heywood - No
Kristina Hjorth - No - Unavailable
Samantha Howes - No - Unavailable
Paula Irwin - Yes
Karen Jones - Yes - after 9.30pm??
Barbara Jones - Yes
Peta Jones - Yes + brother Marty Jones
Erica Jordan - Yes
Annamari Kilpinen - Yes +Partner Andrew Chivas
Louise Kite - No
Louise Kokantis - No
Angela Leith - Yes
Monica Lindin - Yes
Melanie Lindsay - Yes
Jenny Long - Yes
Katrina Luckie - Yes
Maxine Lumby - No - on holidays
Sue Manton - Yes
Jayne Martin - Yes
Lisa Mashman - Yes
Nyrie McDonald - Yes
Heather McDuff - No - Bendigo Victoria
Rachel McGee - No - Adelaide
Joanne Millerchip - No
Nerolie Mills
Denise Mitchell
Debbie Moers - Yes
Kim Moore - No
Melissa Murray - Yes
Tanya Newell - No
Danielle O'Brien - No - China
Sarah Perks - Planned to but did not come
Jane Prior - No
Diane Puglisi - Yes
Louise Ramsay - No - Unavailable
Chantelle Reitano
Alex Ritchie - Yes
Kaarina Ryan - Keen but unavailable
Julie Rynsbergen - Keen but unavailable
Merelyn Sims - Yes
Julie Skippen - Yes + Partner Darren McCarthypy
Julie Sorensen - Yes
Joanne Spradley - Yes
Glenda Starr - No - USA
Kym Stracey - Yes
Lisa Tam - No - Gove NT
Mandy Taylor - No - Overseas
Debbie Thomas - Keen but unavailable
Karen Thompson - No
Julie Tobin - No
Michelle Tremain - No - Victoria
Georgina Tsaousidis - Yes +Partner Sam Filardi
Leigh Vilo - Yes
Allison Ward - Yes
Susanne Wisbey - No - Unavailable
Holly Wright - Yes +Partner Gerard Kehoe
Tania Wursig - No

The FOUND Boys... (Yes means attending night function)
Khalil Abdallah - Planned to but did not come due to sickness
Jeffrey Allom - No - UK
David Annon - No
Franki Bacich - Yes
David Benneke - Yes +Partner Adele Golding
Chris Bergman - Yes
Heath Biggs - Planned to but did not come
Peter Bigwood - No - London
Chris Blake - Yes
Tim Blank - Yes
Stephen Brown - No
Andrew Brown - Yes +Partner Nicki Berry
Greig Bull - No
Michael Burk - Yes
Alan Campbell - deceased
Robert Campbell - No - Geneva
Scott Cassin - Yes
Paul Chivers - Yes
Peter Collins - Yes
Stephen Cooke - Yes +Partner Sharon Cooke
Tim Cooper - Yes
Richard Corinaldi - No - Melbourne
David Covel - No
Ian Cradock - Yes
Paul Creighton - No - QLD
Matthew Cumberworth - Yes
Wes Dart - Yes
Rodney Davidson - No - Wagga Wagga
David Dawson - Yes
Kent de Lange - Planned to but did not come
Jonathon Dempsey - No
David Field - No - QLD
Jayson Forrest - Yes
Andrew Francis Jones - No
Greg Frazer - Yes
Sean Gale - No
Bradley Gibson - Yes
David Goddard - No
Paul Graham - Yes
Scott Green - Keen but no leave - WA
Simon Hardaker - Yes
Tim Harding
Graham Hilgendorf - Keen but working
Arys Hirlian - Yes
Peter Hoffman
Greg Holst - No
Simon Hovian - Yes
Andrew Jones - Yes
Craig Jones - No - Working
Gary Knobloch - Planned to but couldn't at last minute
Cameron Laing - Yes
Gary Magno - No - travelling
Greg Mann - No
Paul Manning - No - Deniliquin
Tom McKay - No - New Zealand
Stuart Mendel - Yes
Paul Muphy - No - WA
Anthony Murphy - Yes
Michael Nazar - Yes
Chard Neville - Yes
Peter Newell - Yes
Robert Norman - Yes
Dion Oakman - Yes
Martin O'Connor - Yes
Michael Osborne
Herman Ozbag - Planned to but did not come as sick
Christopher Peck - No - away on holidays
Craig Phillips - Yes
Neil Pierson - Yes
Bruce Pirie - No - Mildura
James Pocock - Yes
Glenn Quinnell - Yes
Gordon Reeve - No
Todd Reeves - Yes
Miles Rooke - No - Unavailable
Paul Rushton - No
Timothy Russo - Yes
Ian Sercombe - Yes
Albie Sharpe - No - Japan
Matthew Smith - Yes
David Smith - Yes
Todd Stark - Yes
Richard Stone - Yes
Mark Sturdy
Warren Sweetman - Yes
Graeme Taylor - Yes
Gary Veitch - No - Queensland
Darin Warburton - No - flying OS next morning
Chris Wildash - Yes
Scott Willingham - Yes
Geoff Wilson - Yes
Craig Yardley - Yes
Stephen Young - No
Dario Zuffo - Planned to but did not come

Teachers...
Errol Duck Chong - Yes
Julie Sutton -Yes

Thanks to the team

If you look at the list of names and wonder who all these people are, you are not alone. I don't have a clue who some people are so don't worry if you don't know who I am. Here is a photo of Jenny Long and I at the Year 12 Formal. This was our second 'date'. Our first 'date' was the Year 11 Formal. We decided to go out at the Year 12 Ferry Cruise and had our first real date the day after the HSC finished. So our school years were pretty significant to us. We married in 1990 and now live in Frenchs Forest with our three awesome children - plus a rabbit!

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped track down others, or given hints and clues of last sightings. Each lead makes it so much easier.

Special thanks to the following people who went the extra mile in spreading the word...

Leigh Vilo
Tanya Haynes
Kym Stracey
Karen Eivers
Nyrie McDonald
Nicole Hendy
Leigh Brennan
Joanne Spradley
Ian & Paula Cradock
plus Kerry Podlagar from the Forest High School
and Scott Cassin for paying the room deposit

Thanks again

Neil Pierson

Contacting other students + other Forest High School reunions

We want to respect your contact information as private. Please don't ask us to give out information on other students. If you want to get in touch with other students, or for them to be able to contact you, there are two sites set up for this where you can place your information.

The biggest one is http://www.schoolfriends.com.au/ It is free to enter details. However it does cost about $20 per year if you want to have access to contacting anyone. Over 26 students from our year are there.

A newer one is http://www.aussieschoolmates.com.au which is FREE and already has over 35 students from our year. It works on a credit system. Everytime you let someone (your mother, sister, or even just yourself at a different address) know about the site you gain ONE credit to be able to send emails to others. (Or a one time $10 will give you unlimited credits).

Karen Eivers has also set up an free internet forum at http://foresthighforum.proboards75.com/index.cgi

I suggest you put your details on all three sites.

See details from the 20 year reunion for the class of 1981-1987
http://foresthigh87.blogspot.com.au/ 

See some photos from the 30 year reunion from the class of 1970-1975 at http://members.optusnet.com.au/~foresthighreunion/index.htm

See some photos from the 35 year reunion from the class of 1965-1970 at
http://www.foresthighreunion.bigpondhosting.com/

School website http://www.theforest-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/home.html