Vol. II, Issue II
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The Falcon Legacy
PUBLICATION OF THE VAN HORN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The Falcon Legacy V O L U M E
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I S S U E
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F E B R U A R Y
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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME
BASEBALL?
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: Website Hall of Honor nominations Reunion news
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
President’s Message
2
Otto Kaifes’ Party 2
Membership Drive 3
Calendar Letter to Editor
4
The Falcon Baseball team is looking to play at “THE K”. In order to achieve this, they must sell Royals’ game vouchers — 1,000 of them by mid-March! The vouchers are good for most home games* redeemable by mail or at the ticket widow, in advance or day of game. Vouchers sell at $8 (value seat) or $15 (GREAT seat). This is a huge discount! There’s no limit as to the number of vouchers you can buy. For information, and to order ticket vouchers, contact Van Horn Head Baseball Coach, Tim Wilson
tim_wilson@indep.k12.mo.us or call (816) 682-2156. Van Horn Falcons must sell 1,000 of the vouchers (as well as Summit Christian Academy, their * Vouchers not good for Opening Day, the Fri/Sat/Sun games of the Yankees series, or the Cardinals series — but good for all other 2012 Games.
Crossroads Conference opponent) in order to get to play at “The K”. Let’s help Falcons’ baseball achieve a Major League experience which is scheduled to be played at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. Admission will be FREE!
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The Falcon Legacy
current and future Van Horn students that they, too, can create for themselves extraordinary lives after As promised last year, your Van Horn Alumni Asso- high school. ciation website is now up-and-running (actually, it has We are now accepting (and have already received!) been since November!) T h e s i t e , nominations for the 2012 Hall of Honor class, who www.vanhornalumni.org, features not only Associa- would enter the Hall of Friday, September 7 (the day tion news and photos, but also information on happen- of Van Horn’s first home football game in 2012). Apings at the new Van Horn. Also from the site, you plications to nominate a distinguished Van Horn alummay download and print applications to join the Asso- nus, former staff member, or “Friend of Van ciation (we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit), and to nomi- Horn” (the latter defined as someone who neither atnate a former student, staff member, or “Friend of Van tended nor worked at the school, but whose actions or Horn” to be inducted into the Van Horn Hall of Honor work have directly benefited Van Horn High School (nominations for the 2012 class of inductees are al- and its neighborhoods) are available for download/ ready being accepted - more on this below). Finally, print at the Alumni Association website, you can download current and back issues of The Fal- www.vanhornalumni.org. con Legacy, the Association’s newsletter. Later this year, you can expect to see improvements to the site, Nominees/inductees do not have to be Alumni Assowhich will make vanhornalumni.org easier to navigate ciation Members; however, for a nomination to be and use, as well to become an even more informative considered for induction, the person doing the nominating needs to be an Association Member. Applicaand valuable resource for Falcons worldwide. tions to join the Association are also available for Last August, nine persons—including seven Van Horn download/print at www.vanhornalumni.org. We will alums, one former teacher (Otto Kaifes), and Col. Van accept nominations for the 2012 Hall of Honor class Horn himself (posthumously) - were inducted as the through Monday, June 4 inaugural Class of the Van Horn High School Hall of Honor. In addition to rightly honoring Falcons whose bodies of work as adults has brought honor to the Jay Fisher, VH ’75— President VHHSAA school, the Hall’s presence seeks to communicate to
From your President —
Honorarium for retired teacher, Otto Kaifes
Mr. Otto Kaifes
COME HELP US CELEBRATE OTTO’S 20TH BIRTHDAY! Many of us remember that longtime Van Horn math teacher and baseball coach Otto Kaifes was born on February 29, 1932—LEAP DAY—meaning that he celebrates his “20th” birthday February 29 of this year. To celebrate Otto’s “20th”, the Van Horn Class of 1966 and the Van Horn Alumni Association is having a party at the school on Saturday, March 3, from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm in the foyer behind the Van Horn Auditorium. All Van Horn alums—particularly Otto’s former students and players—are invited to come. Please bring a pot-luck dish or snack to share. (We will also attempt to have Van Horn baseball coach Tim Wilson there for those wanting to purchase Royals’ ticket vouchers.) Please enter the school through the main (front) doors. For answers to questions, and to R.S.V.P. (not required but appreciated), contact Brenda Bronson, VH ‘66 at brendabronsonfpe@gmail.com (303) 941-7634, or (303) 763-8598
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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION (a printable form) can be found on our website, www.vanhornalumni.org or by calling Jay Fisher at (816) 914-6490 or Marietta Boenker at (816) 524-1817 You don’t have to live locally to support Van Horn High School— your Membership and/or donations will do that!!
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A Letter to the Editor: This is Ken Davis from class of ‘65 and I really enjoy the Falcon Legacy. I think it is great the way everyone has pitched in and made my old school such a great success. From the pictures it is really looking great. I wish I lived closer so I could participate in the fun.
Van Horn High School Alumni Association P.O. Box 520712 Independence, MO 64052 Phone: 816-914-6490 E-mail: vhhsaa@yahoo.com
Before Truman Road was renamed, it was called Van Horn Road after the late Col. R.T. Van Horn who was, as our family tree shows him, a great uncle to my grandfather. I remember my mother use to say if they ever tried to change the school name she would stand on a soap-box out in front of the school and lobby loudand-long. Thank God they never tried to rename the school. Keep the spirit! I plan to visit on my next trip home. Kenneth R. Davis, Wichita, KS
Have you renewed your membership?
Reunion News This spot will be reserved for 2012 Reunion News. Send your announcement with dates, times and locations for your Class year/anniversary to vhhsaa@yahoo.com. All announcements will appear in the next issue of the Falcon Legacy!
03 Mar - Otto Kaifes 20th Birthday Party, VH Aud. Foyer 2-5 21 Mar - VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS 7 pm 1 Apr - Scholarship application deadline 3 Apr - Falcon Baseball at the “K” - 4 pm (if enough vouchers a re sold) 18 Apr - VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS 7 pm 13 May- Birthday Celebration of Col. Van Horn. TBA 16 May- VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS 7 pm 20 May - Van Horn High School Graduation 8-9 Jun - Class of 1962 50th Reunion, Drumm Farm Golf Course Jun, Jul, Aug VHHSAA Meetings, 7 pm—locations TBA 7 Sep 15 Sep 19 Sep 21 Sep 22 Sep 17 Oct 21 Nov-
Hall of Honor Celebration, 1st Home football game Class of 1972 30th Reunion, Elms Hotel, Excelsior Springs VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS 7 pm Van Horn Homecoming Parade Van Horn Homecoming Game at Van Horn HS VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS VHHSAA Meeting, Alumni Room, VHHS