One website stated that Easter, perhaps the most important of the Christian holidays, celebrates the Christ’s resurrection from the dead following his death on Good Friday… a rebirth that is commemorated around the vernal equinox, historically a time of pagan celebration that coincides with the arrival of spring and symbolizes the arrival of light and the awakening of life around us.

Easter and springtime both do represent a new beginning… and new life, and is probably one of the favorite times of year for many. Who doesn’t enjoy this time of year?

Lots of families will be getting together today to celebrate Easter, and many places have already held their Easter egg hunts for the little ones. Lent has ended after its 40-day cycle for the year. It is a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The 40 days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others.

Sundays in Lent are not counted in the 40 days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

With that being said, Happy Easter and welcome to spring!

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Now, this isn’t “new” news, but members of my high school graduating class have received our invitations to this year’s class reunion. We’re not spring chickens anymore so don’t be surprised when I say we have been out of school nearly 50 years.

There were, I think, 76 in our class who graduated from Ansonia in May 1966. And, I am hoping many who received their invitations will attend the event on Memorial Day weekend. Our reunions every five years are fun, nostalgic and interesting.

I only regret that not everyone could have lived long enough to see how we’ve all changed.

Fifteen in our class are no longer with us and will surely be missed when we gather to celebrate our 50th. Those who have passed are Nick Cox, Jerome Rosenbeck, Gerald Subler, Anita Whittington, Pauline Borger, Jim Lewis, Keith Cottrell, Dan Brewer, Luis Macias, Edwina Lambert, Gary Gibson, Ron Thompson, Pat Nunley, Linda Doyle and Steve Shaw.

And, just for the fun of it, I went through all 12 of the Oracles, our school’s yearbooks, to check out the names of others who would have graduated with us had they not moved away or left school for one reason or another. I counted an estimated extra 82 people. I remember many of them, and a few I didn’t.

Yet, many of my classmates and myself consider them still part of the class. They, too, are missed.

I will probably write more about our class reunion when it gets here. I might even share a picture or two.

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Don’t forget:

• The Ansonia American Legion’s regular all-you-can-eat fish fries are set for April 1 and May 6. Steak fries at the Legion continue April 16 from 5 to 8 p.m., and Jennifer’s Burritos will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. April 8, also at the American Legion.

• The Treaty City Seniors Dances will continue every Monday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge on East Third Street in Greenville. Tom Everhart will entertain with his rock and roll music of the past. There will be food to purchase, soft drinks only, door prizes and a 50/50 drawing.

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Happy birthday:

• March 31 to Stacy Dorko, Bessie Barga (98), Mary Ann Pratt, Jodi Clouse Fullroth, Brad Cottrell, Jody Hufford, Todd Thwaits, Anne Klamar, Greta Phlipot, Sandy Moore, Gene Key and Jill Guillozet and Susan Fowble.

• April 1 to Kristy Cutarelli, Rhonda Hecht Gigandet (55), Roxie Earick (45), Steve Campbell, Cheryl Campbell, Gretchen Deeter, Greg Sewell, Mike Burke, Dr. Jim Appleman, Dan Chavez, Wes Spencer, John Linebaugh, Judy Welch, Jason Hill and Cara Chandler.

• April 2 to Darrell Coby, Mark Rismiller, Tess Schmitmeyer Clark, Rita Clack Rinderle, Pam Kramer, Skylee Grafmiller and Adam Schlechty.

• April 3 to Sammi Midlam, Patty Jennings, Amanda Hoffman, Marilyn and Cherolyn Warren, Kent Snyder, Tyler Renner, Sandy Henning, Makenna Pechie and Ashley Young.

• April 4 to Dave Niley, Ronnie Barga II, Scott Robison, Amy Klingshirn Albers, Pam Moody, Glenda Williams, Karry Branstetter, Alex Brooks and Joyce Carlin.

• April 5 to Roberta Coby Beyke, Judy Fasnacht, Chris Batten, Linda Magoto, Tony Gate, Tracy Shiverdecker Bailey, Sharon Everman Gilland, Whitney Vickers, Robin Magoteaux and Kim Passon Fisher.

• April 6 to Ruth Hall Richards, Brent Fourman, Rita Ehlers, Tom Doseck, Doug Longfellow, Emmaline Abel and Robin Hildebrand Cook.

Happy belated birthday to Luke Huecker (61) on March 17; Terry Schultz (67) on March 20; Ron Young (75) on March 21; and Rick Reynolds (48) on March 23.

Happy anniversary to Joshua and Nicia Hanes on March 29; Jack and Marcia Henry on March 31; Kevin and Terri Schlechty and Chris and Jennie Merry, all on April 3; Dave and Becky George, Joe and Angie Marker and John Alan II and Carrie Newbauer, all on April 4; Jim and Evelyn Shuttleworth on April 5; and Marvin and Carolyn Fourman and Lisa and Randy Heck, all on April 6.

Happy belated anniversary to Chris and Tonya Kelly (25 years) on March 23.

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Don’t forget to pray for: Stacy Dorko, Kenny Borger, Betty Myers, Kayla Couchot Scarberry, Ray Francis, Mary Marshall, Jenson Fullerton, Treva Hamilton, Sue Miller, Gary Reier, Rusty Hardwick, Carmen Sanders, Michael Allen Clark, Elmer Long, Anthony Joyner, Shirley Mead, Teresa Ketring, Dave Sloan, Harry Moody, Jim Moody, Maxine Weimer, Linda Subler, Jerrod Pratt, Tim Ridenour, Dan Norton, Shelly Hoffman, Kathy Hiestand, Keith Howard, Betty Grimes, Kathy Magoto, Dean Brewer, Lisa Hall, Dick Neff, Tammy Shapiro, Ken Martin, David Magoto, Charles LaFuze, Phil Clark, Sonny Hunt, Jim Marker, Terry Longfellow, Bill Drew, Don and Linda Myers, Nina McDaniel, Rusty Wilson, D’Arleen Waymire, Lee and Bea Moody (our parents), Linda Johnston, Ron Kreitzer, Pappy Harshman, Harold Rismiller, Rick Jones, Delores Duncan, Frank Shapiro, Randy Heck, John Klipstine, Elsie Svajda, Dave Sherman, Sue Chitty, Phil Chilcoat, Christine Pipenger, Paul Barton, Terry Ungericht, Gracyn Blackburn, Lowell Arnold, Robert Codling, Kohen Thwaits, Deanna Jones, William DeBord, Dave Starline, Bob Hiestand Jr.

Also, Kathy and Tom Hamilton, Joanne Sharp, Larry Bemis, Ivan Miller, Cindy Elson, Cary Van De Grift, Dina Dancer Morris, Teresa Mayo Amspaugh, Jim Crotcher, Tina Kiser Deaton, Alvera Schmitz, Vicky Henderson, Julia Frey, Tonia Thompson, Fred Monnin, Bob Coppock, Stephen “Brownie” Brown, Nate Epperson, Brad Pipenger, Faye Schlecty, Michelle Sparks Reed, Sheila Reed, Bill Beasley, Steve Cunningham, Kody Ketring, Bob and Sandy Finkbine, Kevin Dickey, Joe Martin, Tracy Bailey, Brenda Grimes, Margaret “Peg” Bundy, Kevin Hemmerich, Penny Starns, Tim Heck, Vanna (Hannam) Abbott, Suzy Heck Schilling, Addie Henderson, Barb Morrow Zimmerman, Samantha Smith, Shannon Peters Hall, Todd Walls, Ron Kramer, Melissa “Missy” Helmer, Susie Gress of Nebraska, Dana Holzapfel, Kara Didier, Carla Welch, Bill Schuette and to all those others who suffer from the many debilitating diseases.

And, God bless all of our military people serving and protecting this nation, as well as rescue, fire and law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect us.

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Jamie and I send our condolences to the families of Don Darding, Ralph Schmitz, Richard “Tub” Walls, Jack Amspaugh, William Hopper, Barbara Swartwout Peeples, Larry Bemis and Richard Cummins.

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Think about it: “We live and die; Christ died and lived!” — John Stout, evangelist