SPOTLIGHT ON OUR HERO:  DOUG MCNAIR!

Doug to the Rescue, Part I

 In 2003, two members of our communication team, Jan and Barbara, planned to visit London, to see Jane Lake Birt's painting exhibit, and to visit with her and Paul Knutson. Those of you in the DC area will remember it was the year of a massive blizzard (at least we thought it was massive until this last one!) The night before their flight the snow piled up so high that cabs and limos were refusing to pick up passengers either that night or the next morning.  Finally Jan found a taxi willing to pick up both women at 5 o'clock the next day at Jan's place in Tysons Corner, which was more accessible than Barbara's snowed in home at the end of a cul-de-sac. 

But the problem remained:  how to get Barbara to Jan's? Who might have a four-wheel drive and would pick Barbara up and take her to Jan's place the night before the flight?  Jan and Barbara had exchanged emails with Doug recently, but neither of them had spoken to him in 40 years.  Jan remembered a email photo of Doug's hound dogs, and thought, "Hmmmm....bet he has a four-wheel drive!"  Jan called Doug, and his answer was, "Sure, just let me finish dinner!"  Later he said, "Heck, I would have done it at 16, why not at 63?" 

Doug to the Rescue, Part II 

The night after the Haitiian earthquake, Doug and his wife Regan were watching CNN when the phone rang. It was their oldest son Chris's sister-in-law, Stephanie, who lives in DC and works for an international charity. She said they had 16 folks on a Haiti mission with a desperate need of funds.  A Fairfax County search and rescue team was due to leave Dulles in one hour, and would deliver the cash to Haiti by midnight.

Stephanie arranged for cash transfers to take place either at a CVS or a Shoppers Food Warehouse between Doug's house and Dulles.  The McNairs were the only ones she knew who lived close enough to pick up the cash and get it to Dulles within an hour.  Doug and Regan agreed, grabbed what cash they had on hand and set off for the closest CVS.  One the way, a call came in, "Wrong CVS--Go to the one in Herndon!" On the way to Herndon, another call: "Not CVS--Shoppers Food Warehouse!"  They were driving in circles.  Finally they got to the right place and the person there said they have nothing for Douglas McNair, only for Doug McNair, and that's not what his driver's license says.  Doug says he pitched a profane fit at that point. 

He said it was "The Amazing Race meets Mission Impossible."  The it turned out he needed a code word.  Called Stephanie, who called Minneapolis and got a seven digit number. Number was refused.  Need an eight digit number!  Wrong code word!  More phone calls, and then the eight digit number. It was accepted!  Now came the paper work.  The package had to be double wrapped with bubble paper around the money and a specific address on each envelope.  The amount of cash was less than needed, so Doug and Regan kicked in what they brought from home.

Another call from Stephanie.  Not meeting at Dulles.  Meeting at the Fairfax County Fire Station, fifteen miles away.  Oh, and by the way, the fire station will be dark, so go around back and meet a man named Keith. 

To be continued.....Will Doug find his way to the fire station?  Will the mysterious man named Keith be there waiting?  Will Belle, the coon hound, play a role?  Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion in our next newsletter.

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COUNTDOWN TO THE 50TH  

October 14th, 15th, and 16th, 2011!  You can attend all the events or one or two. Are you coming? It helps us anticipate what the costs will be for the various events. If you've never attended in the past, this is a good chance to take the plunge.  We promise it will be even better than all the others, especially if YOU are there.  So far, we've heard from 130 classmates.  The total number of attendees, including guests is now 207.

1.  We've made it easy for you:  Please send a simple "yes" or "no" along with your name by clicking on: 50th RSVP.  Your best guess is fine, so we can get an estimate.  Thanks! 

2. We still need donations to help defray the costs of putting on this momentous gathering.  Every little bit helps, and many of you have been very generous with your contributions. Each check, no matter how big or how small, is received with much gratitude.  The checks should be made out to Smith Barney and mailed to Barbara Johnson, 7500 Shadywood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817. 

 3. As always, we welcome any news, photos, adventures, misadventures, or whatever you'd like to share with your classmates.  We'd especially like to hear stories of reconnections or new connections.  Have you found new friends through the reunions or reunited with old ones?  Tell us about it.

4.  We need to know if you changed your home address, email address, or phone number.  This information can be sent to us by clicking on: 

Classmate Updates 

5.  All four of the panoramic photos of previous reunions are now available at our website, by clicking on: Class of 1961 Website

6.  Finally, if you have any information or leads that would help us find our missing classmates listed here, please send an email to Classmate Updates or to Sandy at slw00@hotmail.com.

Penny S. Capshaw

Timothy Sheahan Cardany

Karen Anne Forrest

Jurgen Ganser

Shirley Colleene Giles

Rogelio Yanez Gonzalez, Jr. (if you know what country he was from,

it would help our search)

Carolyn Elizabeth Martin

Elizabeth Frances Sanders

Constance Lucille Swindell'

Michael Robert Williams

Patricia Ann Wilson (Brown) (Connor) (Hartman) (Blackhetter)

Thanks for your support!

1961 Reunion communication Team

Barbara, Jan, Sandy and Tom