50th Reunion July 13 - 15, 2018

Can you believe we have been out of school for 50 years?  I can't, it really seems like just a few years ago that we were walking the hallowed halls of Gibbs Senior High School.  Making our way to homeroom or to classes before the last bell rang.  Having  a brief conversation at the lockers or standing on the second and third floors looking out at our beautiful campus.

Where did the time go?  Well if you interested  in catching up, don't miss your upcoming reunion!

Save the date document below!  

 Plan now to attend!

New Orleans Trip: A Great Time Had By ALL!!!!!

Gibbs Class of 1968, Inc. sponsored a trip to New Orleans that was enjoyed by classmates and open to the general public on August 13 – 17, 2014.  Forty –nine (49) travelers set out to enjoy the Gulf Coast of Biloxi MS and New Orleans, LA.  It was a most amazing trip and enjoy we did!  The trip was truly memorable!!!!

Treat bags loaded with 8 different items were given to each traveler filled with goodies like Lorna Dunes, Ne-Kots, Peppermint Patties, Nature Valley Breakfast Bars, Juice, Hersey Candy Miniatures and Lays Chips.  Whew! Complimentary water was provided to offset the sultry humid weather of the City That Never Sleeps.  We  stopped for a hearty breakfast in MS at Cracker Barrel and then on to the Beau Rivage Casino on our way to New Orleans, for approx. 3 hours.  The Casino offered a variety of entertaining events for our pleasure (Dining,  Shopping, Broadway Shows, Cinemas, etc.) 

We arrived in New Orleans at the newly renovated Embassy Suites, located at 315 Julia Street, phone number (504) 378-4036.  If they were saying "WHODAT", we were saying, "It be us, the Class of 1968, Inc. and Friends". The hotel is centrally located and in walking distance to many of the cities focal points.   The Chef’s full breakfast was the best in the city.  Joining us in New Orleans was classmate Barbara Lindsey Oguntade and daughter Jean.  They set their sights on the Friday evening Saints Football Game and for a moment in time, cheered for the Saints.

Thursday evening we went to Margie’s Lounge to see how the locals eat.  We enjoyed the Great American Steak-out. The locals know how to cook and the food was awesome (see photo of Steak Dinner).  Heard the music of the locals and returned to the hotel for a night of rest.  Ms. Betty owner of the venue was such a great hostess.  On Friday they delivered to the hotel Fish dinners like the locals eat, full of flavor and huge portions.

Friday  and Saturday we had a tour of the city, rode the Trolley, visited the French Market, rode down the Mississippi River on the Ferry, walked down Bourbon Street, ate Pralines from the Praline Factory, danced and ate at Mulattoes (Renowned Cajun Restaurant) and ate and ate and ate.

Sunday we departed and headed for Tallahassee for dinner, where we ate dinner at the New Country Buffet.  The dinner was included in the cost of the trip and the food was truly southern soul as was the hospitality of the staff.

Thank you cards, with the group picture taken at City Park, New Orleans was sent to every place that extended us hospitality along the way!

By the way, don't be left behind in 2015, we have a list of interesting vacation locations to consider.  Look for updates in January 2015!

Enough of this!  Let’s see some pictures!!

Photos are compliments of Alvin Frazier who is recently retired and photography is his new habit and Valerie who always look for an opportunity to take a good photo.

Gibbs High Class of 1968, Inc. 2014 Scholarship Program

Gibbs Class of 1968, Inc.  Awards  $5,000.00 in Scholarships to 10 High School Graduates

Each year the  Gibbs Class of 1968, Incorporated host a Scholarship Awards Program to provide scholarships  for admirable high school students who desire to attend college.  

The program was held at the Enoch D. Davis Community Center Auditorium on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 6:30 p.m.  Congratulations are in order for the 10 high school seniors who all maintained a 2.5 or higher grade point average and have received their college acceptance letters. Each of the recipients have performed admirably in the classroom and in their community.  Their aspirations included becoming doctors, lawyers, writers, educators and performing artist.  

 (The Class) was honored to present scholarships to the 10 deserving high school seniors who have committed to seeking undergraduate degrees.  The students were selected from local high schools; three from Gibbs High (Antwan Fuller, Jalen Williams and Jerosan Fletcher) one  each from Boca Ciega High School (Kendra Delaney), Canterbury School of Florida (Hydeia Thomas), Lakewood High School (LaVanja Peterson), Osceola Fundamental High School (Syndee Peterman) and St. Petersburg High School (Brinesha Myrick).  Two scholarship recipients were awarded to seniors who lived in Central and on the East Coast of Florida. They were from William R. Boone High School, Orlando FL (Ajah Deloach) and  Bayside High School, Palm Bay, FL (Judienne Archer).  Graduates received Acceptance Letters from the following Universities:  Florida A&M Univeristy, Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida State University, Howard University, Florida Memorial University, University of North Florida, University of Utah and St. Petersburg College.

Over 80 people shared in the Scholarship Awards Program. Those in attendance to celebrate with the honorees were their parents, family and friends along with the Gibbs Class of 1968 Board of Directors and members.   During the program each scholarship recipient received an award in the amount of $500.00.   The recipients were encouraged to do their best in college and to become a contributing member of society.  Program participants included, Kaleb Ash (a 2013 scholarship recipient) who provided the music for the evening.  Kendra Delaney, sang two songs and shared with us her inspiring story of being able to graduate on time, after missing an entire semester of high school after the loss of her mother. Alvin Frazier, Class Chaplain, whose granddaughter, Ajah Deloach received a scholarship and will be attending his college alma mater, gave spiritual advice to the graduates.  Each graduate was given a copy of the poem ‘Myself’ by Edgar Albert Guest, recited by Barbara J. Stockton. The poem challenged the graduates to live a productive life that would make them proud of themselves.  An audio visual presentation, by Valerie B. Williams, entitled “Bridging the Gap” highlighted reflections of The Class of 1968 from 1968 to 2014. The presentation emphasized the importance of class unity and community service throughout their lives.   The Mistress of Ceremony was the class president, Sylvia Wells-Moore, who also provided the graduates with encouraging remarks.  Photo Ops, Refreshments and Fellowship culminated the evening.

Scholarship awards are funded by The Class Holiday Extravaganza and applications are accepted each Spring for consideration.  Over the past 36 years the class has presented scholarship awards to high school graduates attending local schools.  Scholarship awards are based on the senior’s grades, personal references and The Class of 1968 Board of Directors’ recommendation.

The Class is a non-profit organization whose motto is “To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required”.

Photos from the event:

45th Reunion Powerpoint Presentation: Love, Peace and Happiness

It's been a long time coming, however, it's finally here for anyone who may want to take the stroll down memory lane.  This is the powerpoint presentation that was shown during our Saturday evening reunion gala.

This is our first time posting a slide show so if problems are incurred don't hesitate to let me know so they can be resolved.

Couple of points:  The fonts (lettering changed during the upload) and you will have to click it to advance the slides.  I'll work on that feature later.  Also if you want to view it larger, click on the little square arrows in the lower right hand corner next to the number of slides.  Good luck and know that I gave it 'the old college try'.

ENJOY!

            

2014 Holiday Extravaganza December 21, 2013

Happy Holiday!

Are you ready for another fantastic evening of fun and fellowship?  Please see the flyer below for details.  We look forward to seeing each of you and celebrating the holidays with you and your family and friends!

Memorial for Two Fallen Classmates

"Sunset and evening tide and one last call for me and may there be no mourning at the bar, when I put out to sea".  Lyrics by Alfred Lord Tennyson as he comptemplates death. 

We know that life is short and we did not come here to stay, so we try to do our best each day.  We think of our classmates who or far and near, and think of friendships that are dear.  It is with regret that we must say bid them farewell; it's the good things about them that we will remember to tell. (VBW)

45th Reunion Rated As One of the Best!!!!!!!!

Unquestionably, the Gibbs Class of 1968, Inc. 45th Reunion rocked!!!!!!  That's the word about town and that's the word from all who attended.  We are ever mindful that we have been blessed to have the favor of God shine upon us in all that we do.  We ask the question, how else could we have hosted such an awesome event? We lived up to the Reunion theme, Celebrating Love, Peace and Happiness.

First, who has ever heard of having 4 divine nights of fellowship, food and fun for a mere $65.00 per person.  Well if you were there, then you know that it's true.  Thanks to the committed Board of Directors we were able to seamlessly work together to get the job done.  We were able to keep the expenses at an all time low by monitoring our expenses, yet not sacrificing our community benevolence.  We were still able to provide scholarships in the amount of $500.00 to 10 deserving high school graduates.  We fully

understand 'To whom much is given, much is required'.  To this end, we were able to subsidize the reunion registration fee with funds from our treasury, making it possible for everyone to attend. The registration fee covered ALL food and the reunion souvenir.  The weekend of events was attended by 103 classmates and nearly 100 family and friends guest.  Classmates ventured from up and down the coast of the United States to share in the 45th Reunion Celebration.  The reunion banner was a culmination of everything that reflects who we are, from our meager beginning to our beloved deceased classmates.

Thursday, July 11th - "So Glad to See You Welcome Reception"

Thursday evening, June 11 began  at the Magnuson Marina Cove Resort with a beautifully adorned Tropical decor room.  The theme for the Greet and Meet Welcome Reception, was "So Glad to See You"  Everyone was dressed in Tropical Attire.  There was a full buffet with two main en tree's,  Talapia and a Round Roast Carving Station, manned by the Chef.  There were sides to compliment.  We had much fun looking at the name tags that had our school picture on them.  My had we changed!  What Fun!  The music was provided by DJ Rhymes and he played a cool mix of music.  The evening continued with door prizes,  and a Hula-Hoop and Limbo contest.  It was certainly good to see everyone.  The room was filled with the sound of laughter as 'the Old Soul Train' line lit up the floor.  Love, Peace and Happiness!

Friday, July 12th - "Celebrating the Deuces:  Strolling Down Memory Lane"

This day found us at the newly renovated Manhattan Casino.  It was certainly a time to remember.  There were echoes of 22nd Street South from back in the day.   The newly decorated venue was completed just in time for our event.  As it would turn out, we were the very first organization to christen the building.  We were on hand as the final touches were being made; we saw the hanging of the Manhattan Casino marquee, the Fire Marshal walk through and watched patiently as the last dust was being whisked away.  The venue is in every word 'beautiful and modern'; the chairs and tables are elegant, the chandeliers stylish and the  hardwood floor is brilliant. We were honored to have the opportunity to host our event in the newly renovated location.  Our hats are tipped to Aracle Reality LLC. (Larry and Betty Newsome) for making this evening a reality.

 The Company Band, formerly aka 'The Childs of Friendship' provided the Big Band sound.  Genie Boy and Phil Hill were on hand to give the evening an Old School aurora.  The food was indicative of those food joints that were prominent in the '60's.  Geeches' Bar-B-Que and  Sno-Peak were the two establishments we highlighted.  Ribs and sides of macaroni and cheese, chicken and rice, hot dogs and buns,  and baked beans were prepared by 'Newsome Catering' (no relation to Larry and Betty Newsome).  Popeye's Chicken provided the chicken for our Sno-Peak meal.  We could not have had a successful evening without the assistance of Gravely's Catering Service that provided professional servers and food management.  Door prizes were awarded to the lucky winners.

Upon walking into the grand room one could not help but see the blue and gold balloons on the tables along with the themed 'Celebrating the Deuces' vases that contained the balloons.  We had a blast.  Love, Peace and Happiness!

On Saturday some classmates attended the Gibbs Alumni Cookout held annually at Dell Holmes Park while others of us prepared for the Saturday evening event at the Hilton Bayfront in Downtown St. Pete.

Saturday, July 13th - "A Celebration of Love, Peace and Happiness"

Exquiste is the only word that can describe Saturday evening's, "A Celebration of Love, Peace and Happiness" held in the Grand Bay Ballroom of the Hilton Bayfront Resort.  The evening was magical as everyone, dressed in regal attire,  celebrated being back together again.  The Grand Ballroom was filled with bronze twirled tables and white contoured seat covers with royal blue chair bands.  It was sheer upscale elegance. The centerpieces were just as stunning as the room itself.   Personalize programs and table meal tents were issued to each guest along with the classmates receiving their prized souvenir, the blue and gold, Class of 1968 stole. 

DJ One Love, Mike Boykins, played soulful smooth grooves for the guest as the class prepared for their photo shoot.  After the class photo shoot, the evening began with the President's Message.  Then the Welcome was given.  In an effort to have other classmates participate on the program, the Occasion was given by 5 different persons, representing, out of state guest, classmates attending for the first time, extended classmates and of course a member from the Gibbs Class of 1968.    The Chaplain gave a spirited invocation and blessed the food for the evening.  Our meal took top awards; guest had the choice of honey glazed salmon or chicken piccata.  Both were scrumptious.  Desert was key lime pie or strawberry cheesecake.

The evening continued with a dynamic slideshow that highlight the class events over the years, from our very first reunion,  to holiday extravaganzas to worshipping services to all that makes us what we are today.  It was truly a reflection of time.  No event is complete unless we pay tribute to our deceased classmates.  A moving tribute and a roll call of deceased classmates was rendered to commemorate those who passed since our last reunion in 2008.  Love, Peace and Happiness!

Sunday, July 14th - "A Time to Remember: A Time to Praise"

Sunday Service at the Magnuson Hotel was inspiring and spiritually grounded.  Classmates were asked to wear black attire so that we could take a picture with our souvenir stoles.  Almost everyone wore black and the photo shoot,  taken after the service, looked awesome.  You be the judge!

After a spirit-filled Praise Service, a solo was song and then the speaker of the hour, Rev. Alvin Miller,  gave us an uplifting message that echoed our belief that God continues to show us favor.  There was lots of food and lots of love  The Sunday Service was open for family members to attend.  We were pleased to have the Gibbs Class of 1963 (10 members) share in our  weekend of celebration along with other invited guest.  At the conclusion of the day, a gift certificate for a weekend at the Magnuson Marina Cove Resort was won by one lucky couple, Jimmy and Sylvia Pritchett.

We thank our God for every remembrance of you. We thank each of you for making the Reunion an Unbelievable success.   May you continue to find  strength in Him whom all love abides.  Go Safe and Be Well!

All photos courtesy of Class Photographer   G. Pop Lancaster