18 LUMNAE
Weekend Exceeds Expectations for All On Halloween weekend, the Classes of 70, 80, and 90 wore no costumes or masks as they returned to <strong>Seton</strong> hoping to recognize former classmates and recall fabulous memories. E-vites, phone calls, and Facebook helped to find one another again as the planning committee organized the details of decorations, the dance, and the dinner. Finally, Friday came and alums poured into the upper student lobby to meet and greet one another at the wine and cheese reception. There was just no end to the laughter and the joy of being with one another. Gladdened in spirit, the Class of 70 continued the party at The Italian Inn. The Class of 90 moved on to Franklin’s, and the Class of 80 just didn’t go home. More stories to share, more news to tell, and more pictures to show prompted everyone to make a night of it. Saturday’s dinner and dance allowed alums to re-connect with one another as well as to remotely connect with those who had joined online. In between picture taking, tours of <strong>Seton</strong>, and shopping in the bookstore, alums viewed class movies of “The Way They Were”. Sunday, some alums returned again for a mass in the Sisters’ Chapel where the Eucharistic meal fed, nourished and bonded them together in ties not to be broken. The eloquent words of Juanita Lucas- McLean ’70 express the enthusiasm, the energy, and the excitement of those who attended, “How wonderful our weekend was! Each day got better and better for me. Having not been back in 40 years, it was very gratifying and heart-warming to bond once again with my classmates. I say that with true sincerity. I have come to realize that the <strong>Seton</strong> experience, the spiritual grounding that we received and the bonds that we formulated as young ladies have carried us through life and have influenced the women that we have become. Greeting each other on Friday, being genuinely happy to see our classmates, being silly on Saturday at the dance as we danced line, soul, and our grand finale (the girls’ only circle of friendship dance), and finally fortifying ourselves spiritually at mass on Sunday morning all contributed to one fabulous reunion weekend. I challenge every woman from the class of ’70, ’80 and ’90 to keep this momentum going. And, let’s give back financially to <strong>Seton</strong> where the foundation for our educational experience, spirituality, and character building began.” Juanita’s passion is equally shared by Patti Aluise ’70 who has just joined our Alumnae Association and who says, “I’m still on a high. I’m also on a quest to find the rest of our class.” <strong>Seton</strong>’s president, Sister Ellen Marie, has this to say, “The spirit of the alums flowed throughout the student lobby. It was fun, but it was also profound. These classes decided early on that their reunion would not be all about them. They chose to give back to <strong>Seton</strong>. They worked hard, secured donations, and gave of their time and talent so they could leave <strong>Seton</strong> with a gift from every ticket sold. Their total gift of $3000 of scholarship monies for those who struggle to stay at <strong>Seton</strong> was a very selfless way of passing on the torch of <strong>Seton</strong>’s “light to know and grace to do”. It was a sacred moment for me to see that these words are engraved on their hearts and souls. The entire weekend was much more than “a woman thing”; it was indeed a “Godly encounter of sisterhood”. 19