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Many thanks are due to Roy Sosa for what he did to bring about a wonderful reunion of the Hayden High School classes of 1947-1957, although there were also others among the many who attended that informal event that took place at the Hayden Golf Course on Saturday, October 6, 2012.
Ruby Jean Giorsetti, who with her sons, Jeff and William, run their 100 year-old Giorsetti Superior Grocery in Winkelman, went to the reunion with me, and what fun it was to be with her who had been my school friend and neighbor on Hayden’s Smelter Side “way back when”. Myron Webster, who we called “Spike”, brought his photo album of snapshots that had been taken during our High School days in Hayden, and photographer Richard Encinas took group pictures of those who had been in different classes. It was great to see and visit with those who I had known, and what wonderful memories that reunion brought up!
On Facebook there is the group “Growing up in Hayden/Winkelman.” It is an open group that means anyone can see the group, who’s in it, and what members post and there were 824 members when I last checked. If a member clicks on that group’s “Files”, a very interesting entry is my brother’s “Memories of Hayden, Arizona by Bill Kishbaugh – 1936/1950”, and the many comments made proved the interest of those who had lived in the areas mentioned. Since the first edition in 1999, the memoirs were revised for Bill by Shauna Griffith Kuykendall who has contributed many interesting stories and pictures.
In reference to the Hayden/Winkelman group, Richard N. “Nick” Avenetti had stated in his Letter to the Editor of the Copper Basin News “We will welcome you with open arms. After all, we are all family and we share the common bond of growing up in a community where things weren’t always perfect, but always fondly remembered.”
Two more open groups are “Ray, Sonora, and Kearny Memories” with 2177 members, and “What’s going on in Kearny” with 194 members. There also is the “Dudleyville/Aravaipa” group with 127 members, but it is a closed group which means that anyone can see the group and whose’ in it, but only members see posts. People can request to be added, and members can easily add people to the groups.
The many interesting pictures that have been posted in these groups and the comments made by group members are history lessons that should be shared. I agree with the following Marcus Garvey quote:
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
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