2010 Reunion Sept 24, 25 & 26

It is now history

Letter to the Corps:
The 2010 reunion, September 24-27, is now history and it was a great event.  We had about 85 at our Saturday night BBQ dinner held at the Holiday Inn Express and catered by The Stagecoach, everything from ribs to apple cobbler ala mode.  Entertainment was provided by Cadet Mike Williams’ wife, Randi.  Zino’s Italian Restaurant and Paulene’s Steakhouse also prove to be popular eateries with the cadets.  Good times had by all!
Rex & Pat Morgan have missed a reunion or two but this year chartered a plane in order to not miss out on the comraderie yet again.  JoJo Bates’ wife Colleen passed away this year, but he was in attendance doing his job as always.  Don and Dorothy Mellon, and Dennis Newfer spearheaded this year’s reunion but at the last minute neither was able to make it to Ponca City.   Dennis’ sister was affected by the disastrous Colorado fires, she did not lose her home but did receive burn injuries so he was tending to her.  Dorothy received the tragic news that she has bone cancer and chemotherapy was recommended to begin immediately.  In the face of hardships, the corps stepped up to the plate.  The Directors for the 2011 Reunion are Buddy King, Walter Kiser, and Martin Dillon.  The official date and hotel headquarters will be posted on www.poncamilitaryacademy.com   so make your reservations as soon as possible!

PMA Charitable Trust member and superintendant of Ponca City Parks, Jim Sindelar, has done an amazing job at our memorial site.  All new flower beds surround the brick walls and miniatures.  New grass has been seeded and the flag pole repainted.   Butch Behar resurfaced the roof of the model building after vandalism damage, and power washed the miniature to a bright and brilliant white.  Butch has also been indispensible to the PMA museum.  There is a possibility we will be granted additional space within the Marland Mansion for our museum.
Sandy, Capt Moore’s widow, was in attendance along with her children.  Sunday, as we retired our flag for the year, her grandson played Taps.
November 6, 2010 Cadets Dennis Shockey and Butch Behar will represent PMA in the Veteran’s Parade in Ponca City, in full uniform.  The Chamber of Commerce has secured a full page in the November issue of Oklahoma Today Magazine for PMA; we are working to obtain a 3 page article in OK Today sometime in 2011.
The 2010 Auction was a great success, thanks to all who brought a contribution this year.  It is our intention to publish a book about PMA, contact has been made with a publishing house.  We will need everyone’s help: pictures, stories, articles.  A written text will go a long way to preserve PMA history.  Contributions can be sent to Cliff Hayes at 8 Saint Andrews Drive, Rogers Arkansas 72758 or cliff.hayes@chellc.net
Don’t be left out, be a forever cadet.
A big Thank You to Cadet Mike Ross for his substantial donation towards our new bronze statue, revealed this year. 
Reach out to your former classmates, make plans to join us in 2011.  At our age we mustn’t put it off!! Each year we lose more cadets to Father Time.
To all the cadets who give their time and financial support to PMA Foundation, THANK YOU.  Your hard work and efforts to do not go unnoticed, without you we would be forgotten.  Please do your part to keep PMA alive in Ponca City.

Cliff Hayes
Chairman, PMA Trust