Harry Blesy and Jan 1962 Class Prez Ken Wilk discussing 50 year reunion plans

blesy

CLASS OF JANUARY 1962 REUNION

A number of classmates from the January 1962 graduating class have been meeting four times a year. Check out our website at http://lanetech62/tripod.com/

This group has decided to organize a 50 year reunion on behalf of the January 1962 Class. It was decided not to have an expensive ordeal. Also of great concern was the feeling that the event should be geared towards socializing as opposed to being stuck at one table for speeches and dining followed by dancing. The emphasis will be placed on visiting with your classmates and having some eats and drinks available. Spouses and significant others are encouraged to attend. Mark your calendars as this reunion will be on April 28, 2012 at the Colletti’s Restaurant banquet room, 5707 N. Central Ave. (at Elston) Chicago, IL.

The day before the reunion, Friday April 27, 2012 classmates and spouses are also invited to socialize and tour the school building courtesy of the Lane Tech Alumni Association.

To be placed on an email list for further information contact Wayne Kurey at wwkurey@gmail.com and please indicate “Lane” in the subject field.

For those classmates who don’t have computer access and are interested you may call Wayne at (847) 698-3675 or (847) 722-4975

The 2008 Alumni Professional Day was reduced in scope from prior years; and I was denied the pleasure of speaking to the students as I have done 15 previous times.

With the start of the new school year approaching, it is hoped that this program be expanded to accommodate all anticipated alumni.

Besides family and teacher influences in these tough times, our children need the mentors and role models that Lane Tech can provide through its extensive alumni base.

My involvement for 2009 is especially important as my 50th reunion will be taking place on October 3rd, and I've been the only 1959 graduate that has participated on Alumni Day.

Upholding the honor of Lane,

Fred J. Wittenberg 

 Technology helps deaf adviser expand practice

2009-06-29 15:49:00-04

Videoconferencing allows Louis Schwarz's Washington-area advisory firm to serve deaf clients face to face

By Lisa Shidler

June 28, 2009, 6:01 AM EST
 
Louis Schwarz responds to his clients' concerns even though he can't hear what they are saying. Mr. Schwarz, who is deaf, has been a financial adviser for 26 years and works with many deaf and hard-of-hearing clients at Schwarz Financial Services LLC in Bethesda, Md., where he is senior managing partner.
 
Many clients are college professors or retired professors at nearby universities, including Gallaudet University in Washington, America's largest educational institution for the deaf.
 
But now, as a result of low-cost videoconferencing over the Internet, Mr. Schwarz's firm is finding that most of its new clients are coming from outside the Washington metropolitan area. Many prospects are attracted to the firm because of his involvement in several national deaf organizations and his contributions to publications for the deaf.
 
"It's part of deaf culture to prefer face-to-face communication," said Mr. Schwarz, noting that his firm uses audio and video devices designed for the deaf, as well as Skype from San Jose, Calif.-based eBay Inc., for clients overseas.
 
"In the old days, we used to type or e-mail. It's more comfortable for us to see each other, and it's more efficient," Mr. Schwarz said.

The firm's 10 videophones allow him and his advisers to communicate with clients via sign language. Be-cause the firm has a $100,00 minimum for new clients and most clients have at least $250,000 in assets, Mr. Schwarz said, most clients have access to this technology. But Mr. Schwarz, whose fee-based-planning-oriented firm manages $20 million, also has a number of clients who aren't deaf.
 
"People don't recognize us as a deaf company or approach me because of my deafness; they come and work with us because of our professionalism," he said.
 
"They trust us," Mr. Schwarz said.
 
Mr. Schwarz, who is a certified financial planner, has a seven-member staff, including four advisers, all of whom are deaf.
 
The firm's potential target market is large.
 
According to the Bethesda-based National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 36 million adult Americans - or about 17% of the adult population - report some degree of hearing loss.
 
The group said that two to three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or with hearing loss and that about 4,000 new cases of sudden deafness occur each year.
 
To help the deaf with financial issues, the National Association of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md., provides financial education at its conferences, said Rosaline Crawford, director of the law and advocacy center for the group.
 
"We know of a number of deaf and hard-of-hearing financial advisers, some of whom communicate with people in American Sign Language," she wrote in an e-mail.
 
Mr. Schwarz said that his firm's deaf clients appreciate working with a deaf adviser.
 
"A large percentage of deaf individuals tend to feel most comfortable working with other deaf individuals," he said. "We have the same language and come from the same place."
 
For clients who don't have a hearing problem, Mr. Schwarz and partner Joshua R. Beal communicate by using a voice relay service. The client can ask a question and an interpreter will use sign language to repeat the question.
 
Mr. Schwarz or Mr. Beal will sign their answers back.
 
The interpreter relays the information to the client.
 
Mr. Schwarz and Mr. Beal used that technology during an interview for this article, but both also spoke during parts of the interview.
 
"Some people prefer to hear a voice, and some are more comfortable with an interpreter," said Mr. Beal, who spoke during most of the interview.
 
Nearly half of Mr. Schwarz's clients are retired, while Mr. Beal tends to take on younger clients.
 
Like everyone else, the firm's clients were hurt and alarmed by the market downturn, though most have now calmed down, the advisers said.
 
"Because the market was so crazy, I was in cash and didn't start buying until January or February," Mr. Beal said. "What I've learned from this market is that you've got to be patient."
 
E-mail Lisa Shidler at lshidler@investmentnews.com.

http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090628/REG/306289998/1009/TOC&ht=shidler%20shidler%20shidler%20shilder

4/10/09 Sam Odishoo Had Quite a Life Story

4/6/09 Ellis Cose Begins Four Part Radio Series on Hope -

• Listen on WBEZ

Two CPS Alums, Bob Sirott and Anna Davlantes, co-anchored the Chicago NBC 5 news broadcast this week. Could be the first time two Chicago Public Schools grads have done that. Sirott is an alum of Roosevelt and Davlantes is an alum of Disney and Lane Tech.

3/24/09 Blagojevich to Host Radio Program on Wednesday

Hannah Free, a film shot in Chicago last November, will have its world premiere at the Frameline film festival, the oldest gay and lesbian film festival in the world. Frameline33: The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival is this June, and Hannah Free has been invited to be the featured Closing Night film, on Pride Sunday, June 28, which is also the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Hannah Free stars Sharon Gless, is written by Claudia Allen (based on her stage play), and is directed by Wendy Jo Carlton. Executive producers are Tracy Baim and Claudia Allen.

This fundraiser is to help raise enough funds for the Lane Tech Baseball uniforms, equipment and field repair.  The Lane Tech Baseball Team has been assigned a field at Horner Park and every year the parents club "LTBBC" has to raise enough money to fix the field at Horner Parks from all the Parks summer baseball league programs.  Our young athletes are Lane Tech Champs year after year and it's a shame to have them play and practice under such poor conditions.

We've asking that all Lane Tech Alumni's help us by participating in our Candlelight Bowling Fundraiser and/or donate funds to help us keep up with the field repairs.

Sigmund Lekan opened Paulina Meat Market in 1949 and still stands as a testiment to Lekan's hard work and ingenuity. Lekan passed away June 26th at the age of 87. Read Chicago Tribune article.