Where
Are They Now?
LEROY MAAS WAS THE GUEST OF HONOR AT
AN ALHS MINI REUNION IN
MALIBU, CA. JAN 26 - JAN 31, 2005
Former teacher
and coach, LeRoy Maas, was the honored guest at an ALHS mini-reunion in
Malibu, California. His wife Lillian was also invited but was unable to
attend due to medical problems.
Mr. Frank
Gallagher, (the captain of a former ALHS wrestling team) and his friend
Toni Berget were host and hostess of the event which included expenses,
was held in the new multimillion dollar mansion that Toni built and
Frank supervised the construction of.
The home was
built in a gated community high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific
Ocean. There were thirty guests in attendance including the following
ALHS graduates and their spouse or friend:
Joyce Cady and
friend, Clay Lyon, Dale Robinson and Jane, Dr. Lymon (Manny) Steil and
Dee, Pete Veldman and Arlene, Bill Wangen (Eriksen)and Jackie, Bill
Wedge and Wife Conchita, Eleanor Wong Telemaque and John Wong.
From
Left to Right: Dale Robinson, Bill Wedge, Manny Steil, Coach LeRoy
Maas, Frank Gallagher, John Wong, Clay Lyon, Bill "Wangen" Eriksen, and
Pete Veldman
Other guests
were friends and relatives of Frank and Toni.
On Sunday
afternoon, January 30th, coach Maas and Frank Gallagher went for a walk
outside the gated grounds. They met the next door neighbor ad Frank
introduced Roy to him. They shook hands and Frank asked how his
birthday party went and he said just fine. When Roy and Frank moved on,
Frank said,
"Do you know who
that was?"
Roy said, "No".
Frank then told
Roy that it was Anthony Hopkins, the famous movie actor.
This is a
strange world, with this former little 103 pound wrestler from down on
Clark Street in Albert Lea introducing LeRoy Maas to the famous movie
star. Frank worked for the Walt Disney organization for 41 years and is
now retired.
After meeting
Anthony Hopkins, Maas got on the phone and called one of his former
students, Robert Haukoos who is the son of Bob and Grace Haukoos. Maas
said it was more exciting and rewarding talking to a former student who
is successful in life than it was to talk to Anthony Hopkins the great
movie star.
This was a
mountain top experience for Coach Maas to see so many of his former
students so far away from home and about 50 years after they graduated.
Coach Maas gave
each former wrestler a picture of their time of competition and he also
gave them a picture of the old turn around on the north end of
Broadway. For recreation, the kids used to drive from the south end of
Broadway to the north end, turn around and then repeat the process.
They said it was "Fun".
Three of the
fellows who were at the reunion are the founders of the Leroy Maas
Scholarship Fund. They are Frank Gallagher, Manny Steil, and Pete
Veldman. To date the fund has given 17 scholarships to deserving ALHS
students with a total value of $20,800.
From left to right:
Pete Veldman, Manny Steil, Coach Maas, and Frank Gallagher
These Directors
have a basic goal of raising at least $100.000 for the fund. they are
near the $85,000 level at the present time. this is truly an ALHS
scholarship. It is funded by ALHS alumni, friends, and relatives. The
scholarship is for ALHS students.
If you would
like to become a part of this scholarship and help the directors reach
their goal, log on to our web site where there are instructions for
making a donation. The address is:
http://www.lmaasscholarship.org/ContributionForm.htm
The Scholarship Funds address is:
The LeRoy Maas Wrestling Scholarship Fund
2430 Anthony Street
South St. Paul , MN 55075
