MM_110917

6 | November 9, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger NEWS
mokenamessenger.com
25 years gone, Lincoln-Way High
School Class of 1992 reunites
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
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The year was 1992. On the
radio Billy Ray Cyrus sang
of his “Achy Breaky Heart,”
while in theaters, Jack Nicholson
told Tom Cruise, “You
can’t handle the truth.” Social
media was, well, non-existent,
and phones were simply
devices for talking to your
friends and family.
On Nov. 4 Lincoln-Way
High School Class of ’92
revisited these long-lost glory
days during the “Casual
Knight Out” event at The
Alley Grill & Tap House in
honor of their 25-year high
school reunion. The reunion
was designed as a lowpressure,
no-ticket, fun and
friendly evening for lifelong
friends and former classmates
to catch up on the past
five years since their 20th reunion.
Former Class President,
Valerie Skarbek, of Frankfort,
led the planning committee
and was looking forward to
meeting-up with fellow Class
of ’92 graduates.
“There’s a couple of people
I haven’t seen since high
school, so it’s been 25 years
and I’m also looking forward
to seeing the friends that I’m
in touch with on a regular basis.
It’s hard to get together
so it’s great to see everyone,”
she said. “Life is short and
we have to take these moments
and get together.”
As is always the case in the
passing of a quarter century,
so much has changed in the
world, in people’s personal
lives and especially in regards
to technology.
“I was talking to my niece
who is 17 — a senior at Lincoln-Way
East — about various
situations in 1992 where
we didn’t have a cellphone
like going to the Taste of Chicago
with millions of people
and getting lost or wanting a
Lincoln-Way High School Class of ’92 members celebrate
their 25th reunion Nov. 4 with a “Casual Knight Out” at
The Alley Grill & Tap House in Mokena. Laurie Fanelli/22nd
Century Media
guy to call you, but he’d have
to call your house phone and
your parents could answer,”
Skarbek said with a smile
noting that there was, of
course, a call-waiting workaround
to ensure that you
were the one to answer the
phone.
Frankfort resident Bob
Janeliunas also took time out
to examine the technological
advances of the past 25 years.
“Things change so fast
nowadays. You never
thought you’d have this,” he
said holding his cellphone.
“We thought pagers were
cool when we were in high
school. The biggest thing I
wonder about is what are our
kids gonna have? It really is
crazy.”
When you start high school
as a freshman it feels like a
long slog to graduation. As
you finally don that cap and
gown and receive your diploma,
it is hard to imagine that
it may be another 25 years
before you see some of your
classmates again.
Former class treasurer and
member of the reunion planning
committee, Lorraine Patel
(maiden name Martorelli),
shared a little advice for
Lincoln-Way’s Class of 2017
graduates.
“Stay in touch with people,”
she said. “Read the
yearbook messages. I just
read a few of mine for the
first time as I was looking
through my yearbook — 25
years later — from teachers
who wanted to stay in
touch and from classmates
which was very touching.
Even though high school is
only four years long, you can
make friends for a lifetime
so my advice would be to be
open minded and grow with
friends through the years. It’s
a really beautiful thing. I’m
happy now at 25 years later
that I still have these connections.”
2022 will be here before
we know it and the Lincoln-
Way High School Class of
’92 is seeking volunteers to
help them organize the next
event.
“We’re looking for some
new blood to head up the
planning for the 30-year
reunion and anyone interested
can send an email to
lwhs1992@gmail.com,”
Skarbek said.
Until then, flip through
your old yearbook and remember
to “stay cool,” “keep
in touch,” and “have a great
summer (winter, fall and
spring).”