WRAP UP REPORT – 50’TH REUNION + PROGRAM

1969 Faculty of Agriculture Graduates

Dear Fellow Aggies:

WRAP UP REPORT – 50’TH REUNION

Our 2019 fiftieth, class of 69, Aggie Reunion on July 18 and 19 was a tremendous success. Most of the thanks
goes to everyone’s eager and enthusiastic response to the call to muster. In addition to the fun, fellowship,
tours and entertainment, the event was a financial success. A small surplus of $55.50 has been donated to
Siloam Mission.

Our Sponsors Clayton Manness, Ray RedFern, the Agriculture Faculty and Karl Gompf are to be thanked
for their part in helping defray the cost of the reunion.

We thank our bus driver, Diana Penner, for arranging the bus at a much-reduced rate and offering to drive
all day at no charge. (However, we were able to reimburse her for her duties.) And we offer kudos to
Megan Dufrat for entertaining us during our reception.

A special standing ovation must go out to Jim Henderson (our Senior Stick) for making such a tremendous
effort to attend the reunion and take part in most of the proceedings. Well done Jim and Liz. Thanks to all
who assisted Jim during the reunion in particular Rick and Merrianne Holm.

A special thanks goes out to Clayton Manness for conducting a most informative tour of Prairie Flour Mills
and for a wonderful address to the Grads at the reception.

Thanks to all who helped set up and take down for the reception with a shout-out to Perry Pressman and
Janet Klaver, for their willing assistance.

A number of attendees were discussing a future reunion, perhaps in 5 years. The 2019 committee suggests
that someone seriously consider taking on the organization of that gathering. We plan to keep in touch and
next time it will probably just be a one-day affair if that is everyone’s wishes.

We offer the following suggestions

1: Establish a committee of three or more people, one who needs to take on the role of treasurer. The
committee needs a few members as there are a number of tasks that need to be completed for the reunion
and some are last minute. We held 3 committee meetings.

2: Start as early as is practical. A year is recommended, but in 2019 we proved that with proper planning,
one half a year worked.

3: Request information and advice from the present committee. This can save a lot of time in tracking down
people.

4: Possibly ask one of the present committee members be an advisor or to fill in on an emergency basis.
(Bill Anderson’s experience and advice was invaluable this year.)

From the 2019 Reunion Committee:

Larry Gompf, Brian McLeish, Bill Anderson, Russ Hampton, Neil Strachan

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Third and Last Letter Before the Reunion

Hi everyone,

This is it, the last letter before the reunion. This is to inform you about how things are planned
to roll out. We want to outline the 2 days in detail to make sure everyone is up to speed. We are
hoping for good sunny weather to ensure the best possible experience.

Day 1:  Thursday July 18th.  This is the toughest day logistically but we know we can make it
happen.  (Note: At the end of this letter there will be options presented re: parking and
travelling so please read it all and help us make some decisions.)

11:00 am: Meet at the U of M Aggie main buildings at the very east end. There is an open area
where we will meet with a welcome and introductions. Crystal Jorgenson, who is the
communications officer for the Faculty of Agriculture, will meet us there. She has lined up a
guest speaker who will present to us about the world of “ticks” which is her expertise.
The Associate Dean will welcome us on behalf of the faculty. The faculty is providing a light
lunch for us.

1:00 pm: After lunch we will walk across campus to the CEOS building, which is just a bit west
of the old President’s house on Chancellor Circle. (66 Chancellor) For more information on
what we will learn about, bring up CEOS - University of Manitoba. Check out videos and watch
any number but the one with the most information is a 10 minute one, where different
scientists from around the world describe the importance of research that is being conducted
]in the north. And of course how important that work is. 

3:00 pm: We want to be at the Human Rights museum for a 90 minute tour.  Below, we will
describe about parking and transportation on the 18th.  So keep reading.

4:30 pm: Leave the Human Rights Museum and head to Brazen Hall, which is a newly created
popular mini-brewery where the old Roundtable restaurant on Pembina Hwy used to be. (It’s
at the corner of Stafford and Pembina.) We will have appetizers and a beer or 2. One round of
a 6 oz beer will be provided (or pop if you aren’t drinking beer) and if you want more, you will
have to pay cash or run a tab.

Before 6:30 pm: Leave Brazen Hall and proceed back to the Holiday Inn at McGillivray and
Pembina.

7:30 pm:  Hospitality suite at the Holiday Inn.  Pizza, renewing acquaintances and telling of
numerous lies. (All fun.) This is meant to be a fun evening but remember the 19th is a big day. 
It’s a BYOB night so if you want to consume alcohol, bring whatever you wish. (Spirits, beer
whatever.) This will not be provided. We’ll have plastic glasses there for everyone at the Hotel’s
request.

Day #2: Friday July 19th:  Our bus will pick everyone up at the Holiday Inn at 9:00 am. If    

anyone needs to ride in a car, let us know so someone can be available to drive.  The bus will
take us to Elie to view a “state of the art” flour mill, where Clayton Manness will be our host
and guide. We will proceed back to Headingley where a catered lunch will be provided.

1:30 pm:  The bus will take everyone to the Bruce Campbell Discovery Centre at Glenlea where
we will have a tour and an explanation about what the centre is all about.

2:30 – 3:00: The bus will take everyone back to the Holiday Inn for freshening up.

5:15 – 5:30:  Our most kind bus driver will pick folks up at the Holiday Inn and drive to

Howden Community Centre, just south of the city, for our reception and dinner.  We have a 

good evening planned; complete with live music. We booked the hall from 5:00 to midnight 

so make use of the time to talk to folks you haven’t seen for awhile. The bus will take folks  

back to the Holiday Inn when things wind down. (Note: We will be passing the hat for our 

pianist who like our bus driver, will be with us all evening. So please bring a little cash for 

her.)

Anywhere from 10:00 pm to midnight the party will be over and we trust that everyone will 

have a good time. We look forward to seeing everyone once again.

               

Note about the 18th parking and transportation: Folks, we need to move people from 

campus to the Human Rights Museum, back to Brazen Hall and then to the Holiday Inn. 

It can all work out but we have a number of proposals and they can all work so please pay 

attention to what we are proposing.

1. take a car to campus and park in public parking spot just east of the which is shown in the
map of parking for the campus. That is the best place to park either for most of the day or just
while we attend the 2 lectures.  Follow these steps closely.
a) Google up U of Manitoba Parking.
b) When that page comes up just below About Us, you’ll see Maps.
c) Hit Maps and at the bottom you’ll see Fort Garry Campus in bold and under that you’ll see
Parking Map.
d) Hit Parking Map and the parking Map of the campus will come up.
e) Print the map off if you are able and look for the Parkade with the big P for parking. That is
where you park. You pay when you leave. You’ll see when you go north on University Crescent ,
you go by the stadium, turn right onto Dysart Rd, take the first right after that and look for
Ralph Campbell Road. After a block or so, the parkade is on your right. After getting your ticket,
proceed to the Agriculture Plant Sciences building and that’s where we meet.

2. We attend the 2 lectures on campus and need to make our way to the Human Rights Museum.
This is where it gets tricky. We have to get 40 some people down there and then Back to Brazen
Hall and then to the Holiday Inn. So we need about 9 vehicles to move everyone. We have 4
vehicles promised so we need a few more. I know we can make it work. Those not driving can
take their car to the Holiday Inn and park on their upper parking lot. Someone will pick you up
there.

On the 19th at Howden Community Centre, Bill Anderson will be taking a group photo, probably
before we eat. So when we call for that to happen, we want everyone to step up. It will not take
too long. Thanks.

Another note:  Because we did not have all the preparations laid out for the Thursday meal
and drinks before now, we have to ask everyone for another $25.00/person. That will be the
last charge and we hope it is not too burdensome. We believe that there will be good value for
money spent and that everyone will leave the reunion with good thoughts and experiences.
See you all soon.

Larry Gompf on behalf of the organizing committee.