Turf Management - Seneca College

alumnihappenings
(From left to right) Susanne Lyons (Minaker), Dave McCutcheon with Megan, Jeff Mitchell with Paige and Madison, Richard
Dasrath, Melanie Howe with Taylor Gatt, Cindy Gatt (Lodge) with Jamie, Ron Lowe, Bev Thomson with Robbie, Craig Bateman,
Patty Bradley with the Dasrath girls and Erin, Peter Dworschak, Michael Monty, Paul Gatt.
By Professor Michael Monty
It Was a Very Good Year
It’s a wonder there were any radio
or television stations on the air
that day. They came from CFRB,
Global TV, CHUM/CITY, MuchMusic,
Space, CHEX TV, The Imagination
Station, CTV, and private production
houses. They drove in from as far
away as Picton, and even phoned in
from across the world.
On Saturday, September 22, 2001,
the RTV Class of ’87 held a reunion
BBQ in my backyard. The idea started
with Melanie Howe and Cindy and
Paul Gatt who attended the School of
Communication Arts Homecoming in
June. They discovered that they were
the only representatives of their year
in attendance and decided it was time
to really get the old gang together.
At a summer planning session, it
was decided that it was to be a very
informal yet very inclusive affair. No
funny name tags, no intrusive DJs, no
crepe bunting, but spouses and children
were very much invited, and
apart from the hamburgers, it was
bring your own food. The organizers
knew that with this group, fringe benefits
weren’t the attraction. All they
had to do was find them, and they
16 1-888-ALUMNUS
would come. (Cindy did such a terrific
job of tracking down long lost classmates
that I dubbed her Cindy
Holmes.)
And arrive they did: Richard
Dasrath was there with his two daughters
as well as Dave McCutcheon, his
wife, Sally and their two children,
Megan and baby Dalton. Paul and
Cindy brought their two, Jamie and
Taylor, and Jeff Mitchell, came with
his wife and their children, Madison
and Paige. Bev Thomson, her husband
Rob and young Robbie were on hand
as were Patty Bradley (Ryan) and her
daughter Erin. Craig Bateman, Craig
Smith, Susanne Lyons (Minaker) and
her husband Steve. Peter Dworschak,
hot off the track at Mosport, was
Craig Bateman
Craig Smith
Bev Thomson
quickly followed by Tim Hoey, Khaleel
Mohammed and his wife. Of course,
this motley crew needed some sort of
supervision, so Ron Lowe and I were
there as well.
Even those who couldn’t make it
were enthusiastic supporters: Ted
Ambrose, Dave Cohen and Bill Petch
sent their best wishes to everyone.
Marc Pearson sent a videotape of first
year TV productions, Marilyn Lindblad
sent candied almonds, and Jim Morley
got up in the middle of his night to
phone in from Taiwan.
The most commonly heard lament
after it was over from those who were
there and those who wished they
could have been there: “Let’s do it
again soon!”
By the way, after the terrific success
of this one, Melanie, Cindy, Paul
and I are renting ourselves out at
absolutely atrocious rates to anyone
who needs help in organizing a backyard
reunion of their own!