House of Bamboo..

Richie Schecter "I'd like to welcome everyone to a very Special Reunion Thanks to Howie Baker and Al Crane for their invaluable assistance in organizing this Reunion. This event wouldn't have been possible without them. I would like to thank Eric Baker, owner and chef at the Alley Cat Restaurant for his cooperation and for allowing us to visit this beautiful restaurant. I’d also like to welcome our youngest member and first time attendee to our reunions, Ira Lamster who was in HOB from 1968-1971 (I believe). Ira has been married to Gail for 53 years. Her cousin is Merle Fishkin, wife of the late Brian Fishkin. The Lamster’s live in New Jersey and Boca Raton. Many members who were unable to attend tonight's Reunion have sent me letters to read to you on this special occasion. So here we go. The name of each member will be read AFTER each letter so you can try to figure out who wrote it." * 1 Greetings Fellow Brothers of the most unique House Plan to ever exist at Queens College. In 1959 a group of freshmen, primarily from regional high schools, developed a special bond among themselves and decided to formalize their comradery by forming a House Plan. Queens College was like an extension of high school. We were all daily commuters who never had the experience of out-of-town college life so we worked very hard to make our experience rewarding, participating in sports, entertainment, school government (including Central House Plan), school newspapers and volunteer work. We worked closely with the Flushing Volunteer Ambulance Corp and raised sufficient funds to enable them to purchase a new ambulance. We excelled in all areas, often ranking among the leaders when competing against our rival House Plans and Fraternities. We also formed a close relationship with Hilltop House and the men and women of both worked together, particularly at volunteering, entertainment, and partying. I must say that Queens College provided all of us with an exceedingly thorough education. Although I was a Chemistry major, I had to take 64 credits of Liberal Arts classes and although we often griped and grumbled, in retrospect, it made us more well-rounded people. All this tuition-free. Registration was $12 per semester and to this we added the cost of books. When our four years at QC concluded and most Founders graduated in 1963, the original Founders stayed in close touch with one another for years and even through today, but we lost contact with the newer members of the House of Bamboo. It seems as if our successors were never curious about the roots of their House Plan nor were we very concerned about the fate of our foundling. Strangely, there was no identifiable Missing Link that should have provided continuity. Fifty-plus years later, by sheer happenstance, on a day of haphazard surfing, I Googled “House of Bamboo, Queens College.” I discovered that, long after House Plans at Queens College were defunct, the House of Bamboo had a robust website and that many members maintained their friendships throughout the years. What a warm feeling came over me! Our successors had become lifelong friends. They even had reunions! Amazing!! Unique!! I contacted Richie Schecter immediately and the rest is history. In March 2018 some of us participated at the Las Vegas/Death Valley Reunion. In the interim, we located photographs of the early-day members and set out on a hunt to identify them all and to locate them. We were amazingly successful. We are now inseparable, the first to the last. Enjoy the Reunion and put photos on the website. Love you all and miss you so very much.   Bob Abrahams (HOB's 1st President) HOWIE READS DAVE PORTNOY'S LETTER * 2 Barry Weiss and I grew up together in Glen Oaks in Bellrose. We were in the same class at junior high school 172 where we met David Eizenman. We all attended Martin Van Buren High School and entered Queens College where we were founding members of House of Bamboo. I remember taking my first commercial flight with Barry for our medical school interview in Syracuse. It was a bumpy flight and we were both concerned about potential accidents in our interview suits. Barry and I became radiologists and stayed close with visits to Barry in Florida. David and I separated after college he went to law school. We reconnected occasionally later I remember visiting David and Sandy when Ann and I were contemplating a move back to New York and they were kind enough to give us a tour of Westchester.  David and Barry are no longer with us, but I felt obligated to pay tribute to them as fellow founders of House of Bamboo. I hope you all have a wonderful Reunion.   Paul Silk (original member) * 3 Thanks for the opportunity to share a few remarks with the group. I've been living in Denver for almost 20 years now. My Mom is 93. Just moved to Manhattan a year ago after having lived on Roosevelt Ave just 2 blocks from the old HOB house, for about 45 years! I'm currently single after two marriages and two divorces. Anyway, regards to all. Sorry, I won't be able to attend this reunion.   Rob Schwager * 4 My best to all of the reunion attendees. Due to my physical limitations, I am unable to attend. Wish I could be there. Len Sklerov * 5 It would be remarkable if, a decade after graduating, there were several people who remained friends and retained connections to our house plan. More remarkable if that continued for 2 decades or 3 or even 4. Yet more than 5 decades later many of us stay in contact, remain close, comfort one another at times of loss, and congratulate one another in times of celebration. A large part of that is due to the effort of Richie to help us stay connected but a large part of that is also due to lasting friendships that were formed in House of Bamboo. It was and still is a place where people felt welcome and comfortable being themselves. Some things or events are so iconic their memory lasts a very long time - even if the actual event itself did not last long. The Pony Express only lasted 18 months. Yet many people are still familiar with it over 160 years after its last ride. The parties, the Follies productions and just hanging out with one another only lasted 4 or 5 years, but here we are over 50 years later still enjoying friendships and memories and, for some, marriages that came from people we met on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. Thank you so much for "keeping me included" in this wonderful brotherhood we call House of Bamboo.   Bob DeRosa *6 We are sorry we could not attend this year's reunion. We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in Iceland. Hopefully, we can make the next one. We wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year and would like to express our sincere condolences to anyone who has lost a loved one in the past year. Have a great time. Evelyne and Elliot Kornreich * 7 I'm currently recovering from back surgery for stenosis. I am writing this from the hospital. By the time you hear this, I will be in rehab. I was really hoping to come to the Reunion, but was unable due to my physical condition. I would have loved to see all of you except R.L. Barry Tiras * 8 Fellow Bambooers: Sorry I can't be in Florida to share in the reunion with you guys, but we are going to be in Cancun that week with six adult children and six (out of our eight) of our grandkids celebrating my 75th birthday.  (I better check the arithmetic, I can't be that old.)  Even 50+ years from last being on the Queens College campus, I smile when I think about what Bamboo meant to my life... Lots of good times, lots of laughs, lots of fun.  We weren't quite Animal House, but we did ok.   It wasn't easy, but you guys transformed a severely inept kid from Queens into only a moderately inept kid from Queens.  Though separated by time and distance, Bamboo has and always will remain an integral part of me. I wish us all good health and wellness and look forward to attending the next reunion.    "The Brookster"  * 9 Hi All HOB was a memorable part of my life.  I looked forward to Friday nights. Playing my guitar and singing along to such great songs as Teenager in Love, A Stick of Bamboo, the House of the Rising Sun, etc was so much fun.  Of course, helping with construction and carrying the scenery suspended on the back of someone's car from Flushing to QC for follies and frolics was also great. Of course, my nickname was “Spike” which came from my love for the sport, so I loved being able to be part of some successful seasons   But my best remembrance was just hanging out with all of the members.  I can’t think of a better bunch of guys to have made my QC experience a positive one.   Best of luck to all of you and thank you for being part of my life.   Len “Spike” Berkowitz * 10 Sorry to miss everyone. It’s tough to take off midweek. I’m old, but I still, work full-time as an assistant professor of surgery at Stony Brook University. Still live on Long Island. Have 3 great kids, and a great-granddaughter. Life is good. I'd love to hear from anyone out this way   Bob Turoff 6318755951 * 11 I regret not being able to attend. This will be the first one I’ve had to miss. Most of all I learned the importance of lifelong friends. Because of our shared experiences with HOB many of us will be friends forever. We may not know our kid’s names or may forget how many grandchildren everyone has, but every time we connect, we continue like it was yesterday. Love you guys! Stu Stoller * 12 When I started Queens College most people I knew from High School had already started working. I joined HOB and everyone was friendly, accepting, and caring--and it was a blast.  You became my family, and you still are family.   Cheers, enjoy the event.  I wish I could be there.  Barry Lubart (Original Member) * 13 To everyone in attendance at the reunion, It is Great to hear that so many House of Bamboo members are still connected to keeping the memories alive! I know that this organization holds a special spot in my heart! Long live the House of Bamboo! Regards  Glenn Seidman (Last President of HOB) * 14 And last but not least   When I get older losing my hair many years from now Will you still be sending me a Valentine, Birthday greetings, bottle of wine? If I'd been out 'til quarter to three, Would you lock the door? Will you still need me, will you still feed me When I'm sixty-four? Happy 64th Anniversary. House of Bamboo   Paul McCartney LATE ADDITION   Individually and collectively, I could not have imagined a better group than the members of HOB. In Bamboo were future surgeons and medical researchers, teachers and academicians, industry executives and consultants, sales reps and lawyers, international citizens, technicians and union members, and devoted husbands and loving and kind family men. As a callow sophomore at Queens College, Friday nights at Bamboo meant card games that rarely ended, cokes for a few cents, a front porch where cigarette smoke and weed filled the air, loud music and raucous singing, beautiful women and slow dancing, rooms upstairs with fresh sheets, deep political and philosophical discussions about Viet Nam, and heated sports debates, motorcycles, beer, and sometimes hard liquor, and a backyard where you could actually find a parking space in crowded Flushing. I roomed at Bamboo when my family circumstances proved daunting, for only a few dollars. I sang and painted scenery with coeds I got to know at Frolics and Follies, and sat at their tables in the Cafeteria, I played rough touch against other house plans, and attended monthly meetings, and grieved for a brother who died overseas. Bamboo was a home away from home. "The Rising Sun" was my anthem, and I do not know how I could have survived as a commuter student without it.   Richie Zalman And now I would like to Honor those members and/or spouses who have recently passed with a moment of silence. Please stand if you are able.   Kay Licht Renee Gottesman Howie and Priscilla Spinner Dave Eizenman (original member HOB's 1st Vice President) Frank DeStefano (original member) Stacy Laskowitz   MOMENT OF SILENCE   Thank you and have a great Reunion