May 22, 2010
On
Saturday May 22, hundreds of alumni and their families gathered on
the Queens campus to enjoy a fun-filled afternoon and evening at
the Alumni Reunion Great Lawn Party and Concert. Prepared for hours
of food, carnival rides, games and music, many attendees brought
picnic blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy themselves in typical St.
John's style. In addition to the various activities offered, guests
of all ages enjoyed the musical offerings of DJ Jimmy (James A.
McGuire '92SVC).
Photo Gallery
The Great Lawn Party and Concert attracted a number of alumni
from out-of-town, some of whom took advantage of the availability
of overnight accommodations and spent Saturday night in the
on-campus townhouses of the Founders Village. The University is
particularly grateful to the sponsors who helped to make this event
possible, including the Queens Chamber of Commerce, JetBlue,
AT&T, the Hess Corporation and the Boston Beer Company.
Hour after hour, the Great Lawn was a hub of activity, complete
with the delightful aroma of barbecue food wafting from the grills,
the shouts of children meeting the challenge of the rock climbing
wall or thrilling to the festival wheel and the smiles of families
savoring the childhood-reminiscent taste of cotton candy. As dusk
descended, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes took the stage for
a rousing concert guaranteed to remain a treasured memory for
everyone in the audience for years to come.
"Last year we had a real good time, and we actually
brought a few more people with us this year," noted Ed Drager '82C.
"Southside Johnny always puts on a good show. The food was
excellent, and there are more rides this year, which is great for
the little guys. Everybody had a wonderful time." It was the second
year for the Great Lawn Party and Concert, and many of the alumni
who were present last year came back again in expectation of
another great event.
"This is the second year that we've come out for this event," said
Kathy LaVache '74Ed."At this point I wish I had children or
grandchildren because there are a lot of things out here for kids
and I think they're really enjoying the day. It's just nice to get
out here and get together."
"We had such a wonderful time last year," agreed Amy Wolejsza
'92CBA. "The price is right, and there are so many things to do.
Fireworks are my favorite, so that was just the icing on the cake.
We have more people meeting us this year, and it's really great for
the kids."
Alumni enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with friends
that they hadn't seen since their student days on campus.
"I heard from a friend that he was coming to today's event so we
decided to come as well since we haven't seen some people in
awhile," remarked Melissa Kuch '05CPS. "We're seeing a bunch of
people we haven't seen in years that have moved all over, so it's
great to get everyone together again. This is something we hope to
do every year and keep everyone together."
This was the first Reunion for Tom Anderson '80CBA, '86MBA who,
like many others, decided to come at the urging of his friends.
"This is my first year here," he said. "A lot of my friends
called and told us they were going to be here. It looked like
it would be an enjoyable day, and a good opportunity to hang out
with some old friends, talking about the old days."
As
the final notes of Southside Johnny drifted into the night air, the
skies burst into color with an impressive fireworks display. Young
and old alike marveled as the heavens came alive with a multi-hued
collection of exploding shapes that brought an end to what was
another memorable St. John's event.
"I thought the fireworks were great, really fantastic," said
Cathy McGowan '88Ed."We came last year and the fireworks made it
even better this year."