The Class of 1987 turns 21 this year and we want to celebrate it by having a 21st reunion. Join the gang at The Pourch in downtown Raleigh (407 Glenwood Ave) on Friday, December 26, 2008. The festivities begin at 8pm. (This is the location where the class of 1986 held their 20th reunion).

This will be a low-key event. No mailers. No food. No program. No giveaways. No RSVP. No tickets. Probably no cover charge (we are still deliberating). It’s just word of mouth and wide open. Get out of the house and bring friends from other classes if you wish.

We’ll also be toasting the nuptials of our newest class couple (the one that started it all up with a bang at our 20th!)

Wow! 20 years since we left the halls of NBHS. You know, a lot happens in 20 years. In my case I got married the following year to my high school sweet heart she was from Enloe High of all places. Matter of fact December 3rd 2008 we will be celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary.  My oldest, Carmen, finished her freshmen year and college at UNCC in 2008. My son Nick is a chip off the old block, finishing with a stellar record of 39-12 in 4A high school wrestling at the 145lb weight class. He also was the AAU State Champion in 2007 and Third Place in AAU nationals for his age group. I am looking forward to his upcoming senior wrestling season at Hopewell High School in Huntersville, NC, just north of Charlotte.

After graduation I continued to drive a truck at the ICE Company for a couple of years, as I did all through high school for my spending money. I came to the conclusion that there was more to life than schlepping ICE, and went back to school with plans to work for the fire department. So, I got a AS in fire prevention and arson investigating. My eye site kept me out of the fire department, so I went back to school and received an AS in Computer Engineering.  Currently I am working on a BA in IT Management and then a Masters in that study. In 1991 I worked for a communications company, Adcom, installing phone systems throughout Raleigh, Cary, and surrounding areas. I was there for about 4 years and moved on to a Penn Corp Financial where I worked as a telecom engineer, became the Telecom manager, and worked until 1999. The company was sold, and I was given the choice of moving or being laid off. I took my package and stayed in Raleigh until I fell into an opportunity to move to Charlotte with First Union in 1999, and I jumped on it.
I was only at FU for 1 year and found my calling: designing and installing Cisco Systems IP Telephony systems. Since then I spent 3 years doing my own thing (contract work), and then took a job as a managing consultant with IBM. After 4 yrs at IBM and 100% travel, I took a job with a local consulting firm in Charlotte doing the same thing. While in Charlotte I added four more family members.

[Show as slideshow]

I was very upset to learn that I had missed the 20 year reunion by two weeks. My last known address was Raleigh so I am sure my invitation went there. Oh well! You snooze you lose. Well, I have since updated my address, and hope we do 25 and not wait to 30. I will soon have time as my kids move on get married and so on.  I also started the Greater Charlotte Cancer Classic (GCCC). This will be the second annual. I hold a position on the board of directors, and chair the sponsorship drive. This will be the second year for the tournament, and I hope to become the largest ACS sponsored event in Charlotte.  I became involved because both my wife and I lost a grandmother to cancer when we were very young.  I also have a very good friend that I almost lost to cancer 3 yrs ago and is now doing pretty good. I will be providing a link on the website later.

Congrats go to Mrs. Christesen for becoming a U.S. citizen! Check the 7/4 North Raleigh Observer section of the N&O (page 8N) for the original story.

You may recall our slide show featuring hundreds of photos from our high school days. That video is now available with a donation of at least $15 to the Class of 1987! In fact, the latest edition of the video contains photos from the 20th reunion. Order now to receive this big part of our history.

Carson Satterfield wanted me to send this along to everyone:

Coley Benton Askew was born via emergency C-section to Carson
Satterfield and David Askew on December 18, 2007, weighing 6 lbs, and
13 oz. at 20 inches long. Coley and Carson are finally recovering and
doing fine.

As you may have read, Amedeo’s filed for bankruptcy protection in the Fall and they need our help! Please take a pledge with me to eat at this legendary West Raleigh eatery one time per month more than you always have.

My blood must be Carolina Blue…I am back at UNC-CH, this time for a Master’s in Occupational Therapy – Class of 2008!  I graduated the first time from UNC in 1991 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish, the latter of which took me to Guatemala the summer after my freshman year and to Spain my junior year.  I met my husband, Mike (also a Carolina grad), at the end of 1991, and we married in August 1993.  Later that year, Mike completed a Master’s in Composition & Rhetoric from UNCG, and we never left – we love Greensboro!

We have two boys, Samuel and Joseph.  Samuel is 10 and in fourth grade & Joseph is now 7 and in first grade.  Both are involved, year-round, in various sports.  I know more about football, basketball, baseball, and soccer than I ever imagined I would!  They are fantastic kids, and I love being their mom.

Mike works as an editor & writer at UNCG.  He edits and oversees a weekly on-campus publication, along with writing for & helping edit their alumni and research magazines.  Our home is just five minutes from his office and is also close to the boys’ school. We enjoy living near downtown Greensboro, a great main library, and the ever-expanding Friendly Shopping Center.

Hope to see you all at the next reunion!

After showing the product of much work, people inquired about sliding into a gift from the class. We now have a gift ready for you! With every donation of at least $15 to the Class Fund, you will receive a free gift from the Class of 1987. Simply complete a donation transaction through the PayPal fund, and we’ll have your gift on your way as soon as possible! Thanks in advance for all of your help on this project!

Thanks so, so, so much to everyone for making the 20th reunion a booming success. Harriet, Allin, Bret, Jonathan, and John D were key in getting everything together. Also thanks to Marianne, Carson, Casey, and Steva who made the mailing possible. Thanks, too, to everyone who lent me their photos and sent in bios. The bios idea came from another BHS site, BHS87.com, and really helped provide some lead up to the big event.

The funniest thing from the weekend was having it explained to me why Markham Carr’s wife, Mercedes, kept her maiden name. The greatest site of the weekend, though, came at around 1:00 on Friday night when there was an incredibly diverse group of people all talking with each other. I’ve been to other reunions from BHS and other schools and the cliques mostly stayed isolated. The Class of 1987 is truly the “class” of Broughton.

Stay tuned to the website. We’ll continue to post bios as they come in (it really is easy for me, so do it!) and we’ll decide on the best way to distribute copies of the “87” video run last night. In a year or so, we’ll celebrate our 21st…This time, we’re legal!

Take care and thanks so much to everyone.

Many have asked for dining ideas for the weekend, so I’ve compiled a list of more than 50 dining possibilities in the downtown Raleigh area. Hopefully you’ll find something in there you’ll like!