SEPT 7, 2026
Labor Day - Alumni House Closed
The Friends of Angels Board wishes you and your family a wonderful and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.................
Labor Day is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. President Grover Cleveland signed a law making it a national holiday on June 28, 1894, though its history dates back years earlier.
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated more than a decade earlier - when some 10,000 workers marched on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. Workers were seeing their quality of life decline as they transitioned from artisan to factory jobs, even as the quality of life of factory owners was “just skyrocketing,” Todd Vachon, an assistant professor in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations previously said.
In the years that followed, a handful of cities and states began to adopt laws recognizing Labor Day. Oregon was the first to pass a law recognizing it as a holiday in 1887.
That was the same year that workers for the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike after the railcar-maker cut wages without reducing rent in the company-owned town where workers lived near Chicago, Vachon said.
Over 12 workers were killed after Cleveland sent federal troops to crush the strike, he said. Cleveland’s move to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday is seen by some historians as a way for him “to make peace” with the working class after that, Vachon said.
When Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, unions in the U.S. were largely contested and courts would often rule strikes illegal, leading to violent disputes, Vachon said. It wasn’t until the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 that private sector employees were granted the right to join unions.
In recent years, Vachon said, there’s been a resurgence in labor organizing, activism, interest and support.
“A lot of the millennial and Gen Z folks are coming into the labor market in a period that’s not a lot different from that period in the 1880s where there was a lot of labor unrest,” Vachon said. “Jobs just don’t pay enough for people to achieve the American dream.”
CONGRATULATIONS........................
Chris Gorman '77 - 1st Hole in One on hole #2 at Meadowbrook CC - 120 yards using a pitching wedge - almost hit on the fly - - hit on the rim of the cup and dropped in ----
Jon Bassindale, Jimmy McClelland, Tom Seitz & Chris
OUT & ABOUT.....................
Enjoy the last days of summer at Eave rooftop lounge - top floor of Hotel Verdant
#DowntownRacine #RallyForRacine #RacineWI #AskMeWhyILoveRacine #RacineWisconsin #RacineVibes #DiscoverRacine #LakeLifeRacine
REPEATED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND:The program "A 1950s & 1960s Scooping Tour of Downtown Racine" that was held at the SC Johnson Golden Rondelle Theater on August 31, 2026 and on September 2, 2026 will now be presented again on September 15, 2026 (the first two programs were completely filled). This free program open to the public is presented by Racinians Carol Gianforte and Jim Mercier. It will be held again at the Golden Rondelle theater, beginning at 7:00 pm with lobby doors.
Great place to stop for a delicious and fast lunch in Downtown Racine -
Whey Chai Restaurant opened on the corner of Main St. and 4th St. in 1982.
Owner Whey Chai Liu also had restaurants in Kenosha and Zion at the time
MARK YOUR CALENDAR....................
Angels Connecting.................
Classmates: Where are they Now ???
Special Thanks to '56 John Ketarkus -
Please share the Blog with fellow Alumni & Friends - foa1220.org - then Click on Blog
'56 Nancy (Quinn) Hussey now lives in Appleton WI
'56 Patricia (Bonner) Limbach now lives in Naples FL
contact via Facebook Messenger
'56 Jack Evenson he and his wife Barbara live in Centervillle, Ohio.
937-287-4553 - jackevenson@earthlink.co
‘56 Julie (Haislmeir) Linehan lives in Scottsdale AZ.
Phone/text 262-957-7286
‘71 Cece (Ketarkus) Metzger lives in Henderson NV.
Text message 262-937-0077
‘59 Joe Woitach lives in Racine WI with his wife, Mary (Dacquisto).
‘61 Bobbie (O’Claire) Rehbein lives in Racine
‘79 Marcia (Ketarkus) Tomka lives in Henderson NV.
'56 Lawerence Funk lives in Kenosha
'56 Jerome Gross lives in Brighton, MI
'56 Jane Holt lives in Alphasetta, GA
'70 Denise Ketarkus lives in Racine
'56 James "Jim" Henes lives in Appleton, WI
'60 Donna (Lamers) DeFatte & hubby Martin live in Racine
'60 Lloyd Tremmel & wife Jane live in Racine
Text message 262-762=3959
'56 Ralph Principe lives in John's Island ,SC
'56 Gerald "Judy" Wells lives in New Port Richey, Fl
'56 John Ketarkus lives in Racine
'56 Mary (Woitach) Korzilius lives in Mount Pleasant, WI
'56 Kathleen "Kathy" Cramer lives in Boise,ID
Message"208-841-3862
'56 George Oteman & wife Mary Lou live in Racine
Call/Text 262-639-2268
'65 Dan Kovara lives in Caledonia, WI
'56 Willam Hanson lives in Eagle,WI
Text Msg 262-422-5676
'57 Henry "Hank" Brill lives in St Charles IL
‘57 Mildred “Millie” Lechner lives in Caledonia, WI with
her husband, Ron Carls.
‘57 Sally (Huennekens) Madden lives in Racine, WI.
‘57 Donna (Kaye) Crain lives in Franklin, WI.
‘55 Kenneth “Ken” Kurhajec lives in Franksville, WI.
'55 Richard Russo lives in Madison, WI
russo.biker@gmail.com‘ Mardell (Bohn) Danowski lives in Mount Pleasant, WI.
‘56 Mardell (Bohn) Danowski lives in Mount Pleasant, WI.
Phone: 262-554-1069
‘56 Connie (Dunham) McCormick lives in Saint Pete, FL.
Phone: 727-614-5330
‘55 Mary Claire (Weibel) Betker lives in Nekoosa, WI.
Claire54457@yahoo.comYEs, John Keta
‘58 Judith “Judy” (Floyd) Glider lives in Waukesha, WI.
‘58 Rose (Konicek) Gresser lives in Seattle, WA.
‘71. Jeff Pulda lives in Racine, WI.
‘58. Sally (Hansen) Yeager lives in Ocala, FL.
‘58. Karen (Peterson) Verbeten lives in Racine, WI.
‘58. Gerald “Jerry” Verwey live in Nevada
Phone: 479-644-2102
‘54. Thomas Parr lives in Brighton, MI.
tparr10@ yahoo.com
‘54 Margaret(Peterson) Grebevada lives in Waukesha, WI
‘59 Caryl (Nelson) Yasko lives in Whitewater, WI
‘54 Rita (Langlois) Curty lives in Mount Pleasant, WI
‘59 Marcia (Simenson) Watson lives in Wasilla, AK
‘55. Kelli (Brown) Fallbach lives in Sedalia, CO.
1st Thursday of the Month - Alumni & Friends meet 9:30am (time Change) at DeRango's
on Washington & West Blvd
This months attendees.............
Lloyd Tremmel '60, Joe Woitach '59
Class of '77 -
Class of '76 - Contact Nick Comande - MTCLIMBR@EXECPC.com
Class of '73 - Luncheon was Tuesday December 9th at the Alumni House. Paul Sklba is coordinating the get-together.
Class of '69 - ???
Class of '63 -
Class of '62 - website: SCHS1962.org - Compliments of John McNamee '62
• Class of '60 -They also meet the last Wednesday of each month at Dynasty restaurant.
- contact Renee (Ricchio) Benjamin for details - rsbenjam@sbcglobal.net
• Class of '59 - meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Castlewood restaurant
- contact Mary (D'Acquisto) Woitach for details - JWOITACH@yahoo.com
• Class of '58 - meets 1st Tuesday of the month at Dynasty restaurant
- contact Karen (Petersen) Verbeten for details - Kverbeten1@wi.rr.com
Purchase your Angels Items online. Click on......
FYI................
Aging Well
Don’t get all weird about getting older!
Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!
Point To Ponder..............
AMEN...........
Trip Down Memory Lane............The Good Old Days
This restored photo from a Journal-Times newspaper clip shows a vintage view of the southwest corner of Wisconsin Ave. and 5th St. The photo was taken looking west from the 3rd floor of Zahn's Department Store.
On that corner, in this 1939 photo, was Harry Anderson's and Wally Christensen's service station and parking facility. That pagoda style station was previously a Wadham's Oil service station.
At far left of center was a Goodrich Tire facility. The larger brick building behind Goodrich was The Church of the Nazarene at that time.
Across College Ave. was Brietzke and Pauli Co. at left and the Commercial Press Printing and Boy Scout Building at right.
Thrifty Sandy's store was later constructed at far left out of frame.
The north portion of the block was purchased by the First National Bank for their new bank building in 1959.
Laugh for the Day..............
Busy Bus Stop
In a crowded city at a busy bus stop, a woman who was waiting for a bus was wearing a tight leather skirt. As the bus stopped and it was her turn to get on, she became aware that her skirt was too tight to allow her leg to come up to the height of the first step of the bus. Slightly embarrassed and with a quick smile to the bus driver, she reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little, thinking that this would give her enough slack to raise her leg.
Again, she tried to make the step only to discover she still couldn't. So, a little more embarrassed, she once again reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little more. For the second time, attempted the step, and, once again, and much to her chagrin, she could not raise her leg. With a little smile to the driver, she again reached behind to unzip a little more and again was unable to make the step.
About this time, a big man who was standing behind her picked her up easily by the waist and placed her gently on the step of the bus.
She went ballistic and turned to the would-be Samaritan and screeched, "How dare you touch my body! I don't even know who you are!' The man smiled and drawled, "Well, ma'am, normally I would agree with you, but after you unzipped my fly three times, I kinda figured wewasfriends."
Racine Happenings...........
St Catherine's in the News..........
The August 2026 edition of Siena Catholic Schools' President's Report.
Prayers for families of deceased Alumni - Friends
Prayers for Alumni & Friends dealing with Health Issues:
Jim May, Denise Ketarkus, Lloyd Tremmel, Joe & Mary Woitach, Jim Mascari, Terry Toll,
Joe Ingrasci, Dave Schilling, Fr Joe Hornack, Chris & Sue Gorman's grandson Elijah,
Walt Strini, John Hansen, Don Heck, Bob Letsch, Mickey Postorino, Helen (Wilmes) Miller, Mike O'Brien, Dick Albregts' wife, Marty Defatte's wife Donna, Bill Halberstadt's wife Judy, Dan Peterson's wife Donna, Al Mollerskov
Important Dates.................................
Monday September 7th - Labor Day - Alumni House Closed
Friday September 25th - McGuire/Letsch Outing
Monday October 12th - Columbus Day
Saturday October 31st - Halloween
Tuesday November 3rd Election Da
BE SAFE - BE HEALTHY - BE POSITIVE
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