SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - REUNION UPDATE:

Change is Good! :-) 

Due to unexpected circumstances, the lakefront cruise has been canceled. However, the Reunion Committee has a change of venue to announce. The South Shore 1976 Reunion Association regrets that this change has occurred at the last minute and apologizes to those alums that were looking forward to a night out on Lake Michigan. As of today, the South Shore High School Class of 1976 will host its 35th Reunion main event in Chicago on September 10, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Martin L. King Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60616-9985, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The price for the event remains the same as the new location provided a comparable rate for their services. All current ticket holders who made their purchase before the online deadline will be contacted about the change so that there is no confusion as to where the main event will now be held. For alums that missed the August 10th deadline to purchase tickets online and would like to purchase tickets for this event, please contact Dorothy “Candy” Henson at (773) 667-6650 or Renee Benson at (773) 768-6499. The price is still $110.00 per person. The theme for this event is: “So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”

When does the event start and end?

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 11:00 p.m.

What's on the menu?

There will be a Buffett meal served, which includes

§         Romaine, Shredded Carrots, Shredded Red Cabbage, Tomatoes, Cucumbers served with Ranch Dressing and Cabernet Vinaigrette

§         Mustard Crusted Catfish with a Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce

§         Herb Roasted Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

§         Chicken Noodle Soup

§         Green Beans

§         Corn Bread and Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

§         Peach Cobbler

What beverages are being provided?

Freshly Brewed Regular Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Select Tazo® Teas.

And, a two hour OPEN Bar.

What should I wear?

Attire for the event: business or evening wear.

How much does this cost and how can I register for this event?

The cost for this event is $110.00 per person.

There are no limits on the number of tickets that you can purchase. Just pay in advance

Will there be entertainment?

Oh yes! We will have a world-class DJ and we are also going to have some 'live' entertainment, featuring our very own, Glenn Burris. 

DISCLAIMERS/CAVEATS:

- Please purchase your tickets in advance as we will have limited opportunities to verify whether an alum placed their payment in the mail to arrive before the event has started.

-  Absolutely No refunds will be provided once the purchase is made. However, a replacement or substitute for the ticket holder can be made with advanced notice (i.e., 10 days before the event). Those who definitely cannot make the reunion due to an emergency should contact the Reunion Committee to check to see if we can connect you with an alum who has already purchased their ticket and are unable to attend.

-  Payments. To make your payment, please contact Dorothy “Candy” Henson at (773) 667-6650 or Renee Benson at (773) 768-6499. The price is still $110.00 per person. You can still send a cashier's check or money order payable to:

South Shore 1976 Reunion Association, P.O. Box 17671, Chicago, IL 60617

However, when paying by mail, please ensure that your payment is scheduled to arrive at least one week prior to the event; otherwise, the Reunion Committee will have no way to verify that you are registered for the event.

- Installment payments will no longer be accepted as we are less than 30 days away from the day of this event.

Where can I or where should I park?

The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is offering a discount parking for our event at the rate of $18 self park/24 hours (with in/out privileges).

Parking

Adjacent to hotel on the North side. Covered garage with 600 spaces. Clearance is 6'3".

If you are a guest of the hotel, you may charge valet parking to your room. Self parking is paid at automated kiosks available on level one of the hotel near garage elevators. VALET PARKING: (WITH in/out privileges) 0-24 Hours - $44.00

MC CORMICK PLACE PARKING:

31st Street Lot: No overnight parking; Located at 31st St. near Lake Shore Drive, this open-air lot holds 2,250 cars. To get to the 31st St. lot from I-55, take southbound Lake Shore Drive and exit at 31st Street. Turn right and follow the parking signs. From downtown Chicago, take Lake Shore Drive South and exit at 31st St, turn right and follow the parking signs to Lot B.

Martin Luther King Lot: No overnight parking; Located across the street from the hotel, the facility holds 2000 cars and is handicapped-accessible to the McCormick Place complex. To get to the Martin L. King lot from I-55, exit onto Martin L. King Dr., turn left and follow the parking signs. From downtown Chicago, take Michigan Ave South to 22nd/Cermak Rd. and turn left (East). Follow the parking signs to Lot A.

Lakeside Center (East Building) McCormick Place Lot: No overnight parking; Located underground near the Lakeside Center, this underground garage covered lot holds 2,025 cars and is directly connected to Lakeside Center. From I-55, take Lake Shore Drive South, exit at 31st St, turn left and follow the parking signs. From downtown Chicago, take Lake Shore Drive South, exit at 31st St, turn left and follow the parking signs to Lot C.

South Shore Class of 1979 Reunion this year at the Sabre Room located at 8900 West 95th Street in Hickory Hills.

contact info

South Shore High School Class of 1979
30th Year Reunion Committee
P.O. Box 52
Calumet City, IL 60409
Southshoretars79@aol.com

South Shore Letters

Lynn Hudson

South Shore's Class of '89 will be celebrating its 20th Year Reunion in August 2009.  Classmates are currently reconnecting on our own website: southshoreclassof89.ning.com.  Our first fundraiser will be held on February 27, 2009 at The Premier Entertainment Center, located 300 West Sibley Blvd., Dolton, IL, from 9pm-3am.  The donation for this fundraiser is $10 in advance/at door before 10:30pm.  Come One, Come All!!!

When Chicago author Caryn Lazar Amster wrote her award winning book The Pied Piper of South Shore, Toys and Tragedy in Chicago, she never dreamed where it would lead. Her book is a true family, true crime story about the rise and decline of her Chicago South Shore neighborhood from 1945-1970. 

When The South Shore News Spot Newsletter started in September 2005, it was a one page flyer to 50 people telling about the author’s speaking engagements.  Readers started writing in asking for dates of upcoming school reunions, looking for lost friends and classmates and retelling stories prompted by memories that came back while reading the book.  Today, the free email only newsletter is over 25 pages including photographs with a circulation over 2,000. 

“When you write a book and it appears on the shelves in bookstores and libraries you think you are done,” says Amster.   “The newsletter started as a way to inform and has become a great way for thousands of former South Siders to reconnect.”  There are so many great stories that Amster is considering another book on Reunitings.  

The Pied Piper book is now going into its second printing.  The memorable book cover showing the former Avalon Theater done by noted Indiana fine artist Mitch Markovitz is sold as posters and fine art prints. 

The Pied Piper of South Shore won the USA Book News "Best of 2004" award in the True Crime category and received an all "5" top rating from the 12^th Annual award from the same magazine in the Non-Fiction category. It has received rave reviews from local and national newspapers, websites, publications, book groups and audiences.

For information on the book or to sign up for the free email newsletter contact Amster at 847-895-6449 or visit the website at www.cmapublishing.net

###

To keep up with the latest news from the Class of 1976 contact Oscar Mardis at owmardis@netscape.net