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--- Brakettes Reunion ---
Alumnae Weekend
July 8-10, 2011
Celebrating Our 65th Year!
Dear Former and Current Brakettes,
Thanks to all who attended and helped make it a very special Alumnae Weekend (July 8-10) 2011! It was great to see so many players from all decades of the 65 years of Brakettes softball.
The weather tried to dampen our spirits Friday night, but in spite of this wet beginning, players spent time chatting and catching up until the skies opened and really stopped the party! We were unable to hold the Homerun Derby or play the doubleheader, but fortunately that was the end of the bad weather.
Saturday was glorious and the Short Beach pavilion was a perfect spot for Brakettes to gather and enjoy a luncheon of deli sandwiches, eggplant parmesan, lazagna, salad, potato salad, pizza and cake. There was a beautiful breeze with sun, sand and a water view. Players and guests enjoyed chatting with friends, family and former teammates while the presence of numerous Brakettes' children, some only a few months old, added to the Brakettes family atmosphere.
After enjoying the luncheon, we all gathered at the field to take the all-team photo. It was quite a feat to get all the players in one picture so that all faces could be seen! Thanks to Ashley Waters and Mandie Fishback who arranged everyone so we could get a great picture of all those who attended, and made sure we got a list of everyone in each row for our caption.
The opening ceremonies were wonderful, watching each player be introduced and assemble on the mound. What a fabulous gathering of 65 years of wonderful softball players!
Rain postponed our Homerun Derby Friday night, but we got it in just prior to the Alumnae Game on Saturday. Congratulations to Jess Serio for winning the Homerun Derby! Thanks to all the alumnae who played in the Alumnae Game and to Rosie Adams and "Skippi" Schippani for being the bat girls for the game. We enjoyed watching all of you play. It was amazing to watch some great catches by Jenna Lopez and Pat Dufficy, and great fun to get to see Barbara Reinalda and Joan Joyce pitch.
Many thanks to Edna Fraser, John and Micki Stratton, Harlan Gage, Bob Baird, Rob Baird, Barbara Bourdeau, Amber Radomski, Pat, Barb and Bailey Sanders for all their work preparing for the reunion and making sure everything got taken care of all weekend. I would also like to thank the wonderful parents of current players who came to the rescue when there were more things to do than we had hands for! (Special thanks to the Calgreens and the Bowens!!!) A special note of gratitude to Barbara Bordeau who spent countless hours making our reunion program guide the special keepsake I am sure it will be for players and fans. I would like to express my gratitude to the current team for doing whatever we asked on a moment's notice, and for making the players from the 40's and 50's comfortable and safe on their way to the mound to join the celebration. I would also like to say a special thank you to former Brakette Kristine Botto Drust, who provided all the drinks for the luncheon. While we are at it, congratulations to Kristine and her husband on the birth of their first child who waited until after the reunion to make his entrance!
If anyone wishes to purchase the all-team photo, please email: brakettes@optonline.net. The cost is $5.00 to email and $8.00 to send to a mailing address. The file makes a good 8x12 and an even better 12x18 photo. The photo is very high resolution so you can make poster size if you wish to. Any photos you may see in our online galleries are available by emailing the address listed above and specifying the name of the gallery and the number(s) of the picture(s). There is no charge for these photos. The all-team photo sale is just one way to help keep the Brakettes tradition going. Having been without a major sponsor since 2007, every little bit helps! Thanks to those who ordered the picture. Hope you enjoy it!
The wonderful photo display of all the team photos for 65 years of Brakettes softball were collected and prepared by webmaster Harlan Gage. These photos and others are also on Brakettes Softball Archives. The 1955 photo was the last photo needed to complete the collection and was still not found at the time of the reunion. Recently however, former Brakette, Marie "Jo-Jo" Ottaviano (1951-1963) called and provided the missing 1955 photo! Thank you Jo-Jo!! It is now on the archive site and has been added to the photo display boards. Team photos and other special photos were provided by Jim Fetter, Edna Fraser, Dolores Ruffo, Eleanor Mastroni, Mary Primavera, Annette Verespy Kalafus, Linda Finelli, Kathy Redling and Jo-Jo Ottaviano. Many thanks to all of them for helping to complete the collection. Thanks to Jim Fetter also for help in displaying them. They made a nice backdrop for the reunion gatherings.
Again, many thanks to everyone for making our reunion a fun, memorable weekend.
Kathy Gage
Chair / Brakettes Alumnae Weekend 2011
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Dave Carpenter
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L-R, top row- Coach John Stratton, Marge Gabrielle, Joan Van Ness, Stephanie Hill, Lou Albrecht, Kathy Redling, Deb Larson, Barbara Reinalda, Diane Schumacher, Pat Dufficy, Elaine Amundsen, CB Tomasiewicz, Bailey Sanders, Donna Hebert, Jen Goodwin, Kimberly Mizesko, Sally Maher, Jenn Huyett Schroeder
4th row- Peggy Kellers, Lisa Dennis, Ginny Adler, Jackie Gaw, Ginny Walsh, Frankie Spruce, Donna McLean, (up) Lea Ann Jarvis, Edna Fraser, Karen Hovan, Elaine Biercevicz Piazza, Mary Schneider, Sue Eskierski, Mary Dowling, Kathy Elliot Krygier, Willie Roze, Linda Finelli
3rd row- Ellie Mastroni, Marie Heady, Midge Milowski, Carly Normandin*, Kristyn Sandberg*, Amber Radomski*, Patti Fernandes, Mary R. Keane (Executive Secretary to Bill Simpson), Micki Stratton, Annette Kalafus, Joan Joyce, Sophie Arabinko Grocki, Alice Grabowski Dynia, Mary Bennett McGinn, Bev Mulonet Danaher, Millie Elias, Anna "Punxsy" Edmondson, Marge McIntire, Rosie Adams
2nd row- Stacey Lajoie*, Rachele Fico*, Becca Carden*, Stephanie Call*, Melissa Mancuso*, Denise Denis*, Ashley Waters*, Mandie Fishback*, Alisa Heronema*, Sarah Calgreen*, Jenna Lopez, Brandice Balschmiter*, Kate Bowen*, Whitney Mollica Goldstein
bottom row- Kristine Botto Drust, Jess Serio, Jen Pawol, Alicia Smith, Erica Sobel, Robyn King McDonough, Lea Mishlan, Sara Jewett Hopkins, Jen Smith Werneke, Teri Rooney Morgan, Emily Robustelli Kaufman, Keri McCallum Stratton, Louise "Skippi" Schippani
attended but missed photo shoot- Donna Lopiano, Debbie Paul
*member 2011 Team
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