CHARLEY CAMP - MICKEY WALKER REUNION VISIT
October 21, 2007

Charley Camp sent these pictures and a letter to the website for
the Reunions page.  He describes their trip so well
that excerpts from his letter 
were included by the pictures for you to enjoy too.

(Please click on the picture thumbnails to get a larger view)

"We met in beautiful Sedona, Arizona, October 21, --- locals, Mickey and Donna --- then us travelers from "way down South", as they say --- Charley, Marie and Marie's sister, Carolyn Wilson."

Mickey Walker by Kenny's Headstone    Charley Camp by Kenny's Headstone

"Donna took Marie and Carolyn on to Phoenix, AZ while Mickey drove me to
Skull Valley, AZ to visit Kenny's gravesite."

Kenneth A. Walker
Loving Dad & Papa
Aug. 2, 1944
Jan. 25, 1999

"After a bone-chilling and windy stop at the Skull Valley Cemetery, we proceeded on to Wickenburg, AZ to meet Kenny's daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren." 

Mickey Walker (left) with Kenny's daughter, Susie, 
and her husband, John, and
son, Trey

 "These are wonderful people (Susie & John S. and 14 year old Holley Jo 
and 7 year old Trey) --- down-home type folks:  inviting, open, agreeable, and pleased to share home, conversation and goodies with us Bonny Oaks Alumni.  And needless to say, the family was already well-versed on Bonny Oaks!"

Mickey and Donna's Home
in Phoenix Arizona

"Before dark, Mickey and Yours Truly arrived in Phoenix to meet "the girls" for dinner.  The Walker duo asked that we stay overnight, which we did --- too tired at this point to do otherwise!"

Time to say "Goodbyes"

"It was up the next morning for an early breakfast, then back on the road for continuation of a long, long automobile site-seeing journey."

Charley, Marie & Carolyn
On the road again and gorgeous background too!

Charley Camp

"Dear Ones,
Mickey said it best in a recent email --- 'For Chris' and Bonny Oaks website,
we should have gotten someone to take a picture or two of us together'.
And isn't that the way it is when old friends get together for a hurried reunion?
Just too much excitement to even think straight!
Looking back in a spirit of thanksgiving,
I must say that seeing Mickey and Donna, visiting Kenny's grave,
and meeting Kenny's kin, was a huge highlight for me.
It's comforting to know that Bonny Oaks lives on in the grateful hearts
of many assigned there during childhood.
Thank the good Lord for all who provided tender loving care during
days of darkness and uncertainty.

Blessings,
Charley"

A Chattanooga Mini-Reunion
November 2007

Visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Adamson
Everyone had such a good visit.
Mr. Adamson's surrounded by the pretty women, Mary Ann Neighbors Poe (left), Mrs. Adamson (right) 
and Barbara Durham (sitting on floor)
The guys standing left to right:  Cassidy Neighbors, Ronnie Yarbrough, Jerry Presley and Jesse Presley

Mary Ann and Barbara in Pigeon Forge
Mary Ann said "had a lot of fun with Barbara (BOB), she calls me "SAM",
those were our nicknames when we were at Bonny Oaks.
They "shopped til they dropped!" and had a great time

Mr. Adamson and Barbara Durham

Barbara Durham, Mrs. Adamson, Mary Ann Neighbors Poe

Lunch at the Olive Garden in Pigeon Forge
Eva (left), Barbara and Mary Ann

Breakfast at Hardee's
Mary Ann, Barbara and Eva

Mr. Adamson listening to the "kids"

Mr. & Mrs. Adamson
He's just been out of the hospital for a few days

Shirley Chambers (Hutcheson)

Please send your pictures and comments in to the website so
others can enjoy too!

Hatch Mini-Reunion in Houston, Texas
July 2007

Lee, George, Christine, Marshall and Connie
(Marshall and Lee's daughter, Debbie, took this picture)

Brothers, George (left) and Marshall (right) Hatch were both at Bonny Oaks.
Today Marshall lives in Houston Texas and George lives in Little Rock, Arkansas.
When George and his wife, Connie, came to visit
Marshall and his wife, Lee, I was invited to have Sunday dinner with them.

Please click here to read about our visit - we had such a good time.

Lynda (Dianne Williams) Donley's Mini-Reunion with the Adamson's
April 2007

Dianne Williams flew 3000 miles from San Diego, California to
Tennessee to see Mr. & Mrs. Adamson.   She took them to dinner
at Red Lobster and they loved visiting the past with her.

Please read about Mr. Adamson's "2007" Birthday honors
on the
Bulletin Board


CALLING ALL BONNY OAKS KIDS and FAMILIES!!!

and "THEY CAME".....TO THE "2006" DINNER!

By all accounts, the birthday dinner for Mr. Adamson and get-together was a BIG SUCCESS!

As Mr. Adamson said, "IT WAS A KNOCK-OUT!!!"



RYAN'S STEAKHOUSE in HIXSON TENNESSEE
Saturday, July 22, 2006

Mr. Adamson's birthday is Tuesday, July 25, 2006
He will be 85 years old

Mr. & Mrs. Malcolm M. Adamson
(Mrs. Adamson, so sweet and beautiful!)

Here are the first pictures in from Harry Jackson and James Ellis.
Please send pictures and video that you took too so we can all enjoy!

You may send them to:

Email: texasbonny@yahoo.com

or by U.S. Mail to: 
Christine Haven
P O Box 840124
 Houston Texas 77284

Click on Pictures to Enlarge

Our SPECIAL THANKS to Harry & LaWanda Jackson for making all the arrangements,
keeping up with attendees
and taking care of the monies for the wonderful evening.
Thank you, Mary Ann Neighbors Poe, for leading the entertainment!
Thank you, Mary Chambers Ellis, for baking the BEAUTIFUL birthday cake!
Last but not least, thank you "EVERYONE" for coming to the dinner and/or sending
cards and emails to Mr. Adamson wishing him a Happy 85th Birthday!

Hope to see everyone at a reunion hopefully next year.

Posting for the dinner:
It's been four years since our 2002 Reunion which most of us feel is way too long since seeing each other.  And, Mr. Adamson's birthday is July 25th, he'll turn 85 years old.  .This email is to let you know we want to combine the two and have a Get-Together/Birthday-Dinner!!!  When Mr. Adamson was asked if he was up to a birthday dinner, he sent the email at the bottom of the page.  You can see by the email he typed that he would love nothing better than to see his Bonny Oaks kids again.  Mrs. Adamson thinks it will be good for him to be in the middle of the "kids" again too.   Please try your best, it's short notice, but if at all possible, please come to see Mr. Adamson and have a great time visiting with your Bonny Oaks brothers and sisters over a wonderful dinner and singing entertainment from some of our own, to be announced.  Harry Jackson has agreed to head up the planning and details of the arrangements with the steakhouse

The Times Free Press may run a newspaper article in an effort to reach more people that maybe aren't on the Internet and if you know of others please let them know too.  Because there is no way of being able to let the restaurant know how many will attend, 15 or 300, unless we have some way of accounting beforehand, you're being asked to send an email to Harry and let him know if you're coming.  You can send your money for the dinner to him or if you want to pay at the restaurant that day, he's asking that you make sure to send an email anyway to help in a head count.  Since we only have a few days, please send your dinner money today if possible.  Here are the details:

Where:  Ryan's Family Steakhouse
             5104 Hixson Pike
             Hixson, TN
             423-875-8135

When:  SATURDAY, JULY 22nd (It's the Saturday before Mr. Adamson's birthday)

Time:   4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Mgr. stated they have a group in that room that starts at 2:00 p.m. but should be finished by 4:00)

Cost:  15% gratuity (tip) + $11.60 for buffet and drink.  So ... about $13.35 per person.

I would like a commitment from those who are going to come.  If they could send me an email to let me know, send to BonnyOaks44@comcast.net

Also...if people want to pay me there (preferably by check) or send it to me that's okay too.  :) Harry

Many are asking about having a Bonny Oaks reunion  - Are you interested?

Please write the website and we'll see about getting a reunion committee going.

CALLING FOR  VOLUNTEERS  TO BE ON THE 

OUR NEXT REUNION COMMITTEE!

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, TENNESSEE OR ALASKA,

WE CAN COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE INTERNET

and if you have any items, suggestions, etc to submit and can't send by email, then

you may mail them to

Christine Haven
P O Box 840124
Houston, Texas 77284

Write to texasbonny@yahoo.com 

Harry Jackson and Charley Camp
February 2006 - Mini Reunion

Click on picture to enlarge

If you are going to be in Chattanooga on a trip or if you already live there
and want to get together with Bonny Oaks kids from any era,
 why not post your plans on our website's Bulletin Board.
It could be a lot of fun and you can hear some interesting
stories about other's experiences at Bonny Oaks.
The board is there for you!

Paul & Joyce (Stover) Rowell

visit Mr. & Mrs. Adamson

June 26, 2005

  
Joyce and Paul with the Adamsons
You all look GREAT!  Thanks for sending in the pictures for the website!

 
Mr. & Mrs. Adamson  

Mr. & Mrs. Adamson

Joyce (2nd from left) at her Tyner 2005 Reunion

Our "1700 Mile Odyssey (Vacation)"
Click here to read about our trip
Christine Haven  and  Dianne Williams

April 2005

"A good reunion from the1930s - 
Two brothers, George and Marshall Hatch, and a good day on the river".

MR. & MRS. GEORGE HATCH and
MR. & MRS. ART PRICHARD
June 2004

Click on picture to enlarge.

Connie and I left home the 1st week in June and drove to
Chattanooga for three days  and then drove up to Coring New York .  We spent two
weeks with son, Ron, Mary and the kids. Had a ball!  We drove home by way of
Columbus, Ohio, and had dinner with Art and Mary Prichard and a long visit with
them. They are both well and look great!  Here is a picture of
our get together.

GEORGE & CONNIE HATCH and CHRISTINE HAVEN
Meet for Dinner in Houston, Texas
February 2004

George, Christine & Connie

Joan Booth (White Blouse)

Ron Hatch - Connie & Christine

George, his wife, Connie, and their son, Ron, came through Houston last weekend, 2/21/04, to visit their longtime friend, Joan Booth and her daughter.
We met at Joan's home, went out to dinner and enjoyed hours of great conversation.
George and Connie are avid supporters and believers in the website and it was fantastic to see them again.  
Thank you, Joan, for your wonderful hospitality for our mini-reunion!

DIANNE WILLIAMS
Comes to Houston, Texas
for a mini-reunion with Christine Haven
March  2003
and
September 2003

Dianne Williams and Christine Haven first met in 1957 when they were both at the ripe ole age of 6 years old.  It was the year Christine and her siblings were sent to Vine Street Childrens Home in Chattanooga.  Dianne had been at Vine Street since she was just a toddler.  Within a year of each other, they were at Bonny Oaks and remained friends until losing contact after 1966.  Today they are back in touch because of the website.  Dianne, who lives in California, has been happily  married to Tom Donley for over 20 years, has two beautiful daughters and two beautiful granddaughters.  She flew to Houston for their happy mini-reunion which lasted from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. 

Click here to read and see pictures of Dianne and Christine's March 2003 Mini-Reunion

True to our words, we met again.  This time we had 10 days to talk!

Click here to read and see pictures of Dianne and Christine's September 2003 Mini-Reunion

MARY ANN NEIGHBORS (POE)
and
BARBARA LEA DURHAM

Mary Ann frequently posted inquiries on the Bulletin Board in an effort
to find her longtime childhood friend, Barbara Durham, who was also
a Bonny Oaks student.
They found each other through the website and had their mini-reunion
in Chattanooga.

Click here to see pictures of
Mary Ann and Barbara's Reunion

The 2002 Bonny Oaks Reunion on July 27, 2002
was a special day for all of us.
Throughout the reunion, many photographs were taken by the attendees.  If you haven't sent the website the pictures you took at the reunion, could you please take the time to get them to the website so we may all enjoy them. 

If you see yourself unidentified in any of the pictures, please let us know so we can put names to the faces.

Please send your reunion photos to me by email, texasbonny@yahoo.com  or in the US Mail below:

Christine Haven
P.O. Box 840124
Houston, Texas 77284

Bonny Oaks Reunion 2002
was held at the Dent House
(Formerly the Superintendents' House)
Chattanooga, Tennessee
on
Saturday, July 27, 2002

If you weren't able to come to Reunion 2002
we sure hope to see you at the next one!

Thank you, Mr. Morty Lloyd
and the
Chattanooga Church

All of the Bonny Oaks Alumni, Staff and Friends join together to thank you
for the use of the Dent House and Chapel, free of charge, for the
Bonny Oaks 2002 Reunion.

We are grateful that you, your staff, and the Chattanooga Church, recognized
the deep bond we Alumni continue to have for our home, Bonny Oaks.

 Thank you again for making it possible for us to bring our
Collection of Memories back to the place
where the memories were made.


The Alumni
and
www.bonnyoaks.com
 

Thank you, Susan Pierce, Staff Writer for
The Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Ms. Pierce attended the reunion and
interviewed each person mentioned in the 7/28/02 article.
She wrote a beautiful, heartfelt article about
the Bonny Oaks Alumni at Reunion 2002

   
Click on the pictures above to read the article about Reunion 2002.
Dated July 28, 2002

     
Click on the pictures above to read the article about the upcoming
Reunion 2002 - Dated July 13, 2002

Click to see larger picture

This beautiful cake with the Bonny Oaks motto,
"Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow",
was made for the 2002 Reunion by
Mary Chambers Ellis, Alumnus 1950's/1960's

THE BONNY OAKS REUNION PICTURES

Click to see larger picture

The above picture was sent in by Joyce Stover Rowell and Paul Rowell.
Taken at the Hampton Inn the night of the Reunion 7/27/02.

Click on the name below to see the reunion pictures submitted by that person.  Enjoy!

Joyce Stover Rowell

Barbara Pierce Burhans

Art Prichard

Charles Camp

Daisy Hawk

Jesse and Pauline Presley

Billy Fry

George Hatch

The Smith Sisters

Mickey Walker

Various Items

Click here to see the scanned booklet

The Bonny Oaks School - Golden Anniversary 1894-1944
This original booklet commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Bonny Oaks
was hand-carried to Reunion 2000 by
Ms. Clara Woody, 1920's Alumnus

Thank you, Ms. Woody, from all of the Alumni, their families and Historians

Note:  Did you bring materials to the reunion to be scanned for the website while you waited?  The website has not received those items yet but expects to have them very soon.
Thank you for your patience.

Words cannot express my surprise and gratitude for the acknowledgement I received from the Bonny Oaks Alumni during the Reunion Program.

I sincerely appreciate and will always treasure the beautiful plaque!
Christine Haven

WE THANK THE FOLLOWING PARTICIPANTS AND VENDORS
FOR
HELPING THE REUNION ACCOMPLISH
SUCH A WONDERFUL LOOK BACK!

Bonny Oaks Scrapbooks - Personally brought to the reunion by Mrs. Mary Helms, Head of the Local History & Genealogy Department of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library - Downtown

The PowerPoint Presentation of the Scrapbooks - Thank you to John Goodbrad and his office staff for providing the presentation on two computers and to Rita Hale (John's Assistant) for providing the scanning of pictures brought to the Reunion!

Susan Pierce, Staff Writer for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, walked throughout the reunion grounds interviewing for her article in the Sunday, 7/28/02, newspaper.  A copy will be on here soon.  Susan wrote a beautiful piece on the reunion!

Bill Motley, Poly Graphics, for his quality reproductions of the original Bonny Oaks t-shirts and caps that George Hatch has been in charge of ordering and getting to us.


Soda's and Bottled Water - Bill Bice, Coca-Cola Company
Watermelon - Ken Clay and the Roden family
Beautiful Cake made by Alumnus, Mary Chambers Ellis - "Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow"
Mr. Adamson's Birthday Cake - Harry Jackson
Little Debbie - A family member of the Little Debbie Company donated Oatmeal Creme Pies
Little Debbie - Mrs. Artman obtained Moon Pie donations
Catering by "Rib Out Barbecue"

In following Harry Jackson's lead when he asked people to stand at the end of the Reunion Day's Program to share their thoughts on Bonny Oaks, I would like to share the following emails received by the Website about the Reunion:

CHRIS...THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I CAN ADEQUATELY THANK YOU FOR THE
GREAT DAY I HAD TODAY...SEEING SO MANY OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS REVITALIZED
THIS  OLE MAN!!!  THANKS A MILLION. THE REUNION WAS A 100% SUCCESS.

Malcolm and George Adamson
_________________________________________


As I sat in the chapel on Reunion Day and listened to Bonny Oaks Alumni speak, I felt an immense sense of pride and gratitude. Proud to be a part of the Bonny Oaks School Legacy and truly grateful for the chance Bonny Oaks gave me and my brothers, Jerry and Joe.
My life would have been much different without Bonny Oaks School. Hailed as one of man's grandest experiences, Bonny Oaks School 's mission  of helping children for almost 100 years is most noble and even sacred.
Getting to see many of my Bonny Oaks  brothers and sisters  stirred my spirit and warmed my heart and I sincerely felt that Bonny Oaks School had been elevated to an extraordinary place in history and touched by the hand of God.
I shed a tear or two, but they were the happy ones.

Jesse Presley

_________________________________________

Have really benefited from the January and today's article in the newspaper. You have done a marvelous job on the website and providing a focal point for former students. Own 1/2 of a building just across the street on Preservation Drive and heard about the school first when buying out building lot in 10/90. Have always heard good things about the students and although I never was faced with lack of family or finances, I can see all the wonderful good that resulted from the school. May you continue to provide these meaningful reunion get-togethers for a long time to come.  Best to you and all of the BonnyOaks guys and gals.

Hal Brown
_________________________________________

I hope you are as pleased as I am about the outcome of the Reunion.  What a
wonderful day ... I really feel bad that I was crippled and couldn't be with
you folks most of the day ... including Saturday evening.  I feel that I
missed out so much because of it   :(  :(   :(

Was a great day financially as well.

Thank you Christine .... yet, once again .... for founding the Website and
bringing us all together this year!  It was so good to see you after so many
years.

Harry Jackson
_________________________________________

I enjoyed the reunion very much.  You Bonny Oaks grads are interesting, fun,
and nice.  Yesterday a Bonny Oaks alum came to our department to get copies
of news articles about his basketball games while there.  He had seen some
clippings in the scrapbooks at the reunion and wanted to show them to his
son.

What do you think the attendance was?

Thank you again for letting me and the Library be a part of the reunion.

Mary Helms

_________________________________________

Thank you for your warm reception towards my brother and I. You made us feel
so welcome. We had an awesome time. Seeing pictures of my Mom and hearing
stories about my Mom has made a difference in my life. thanks again.

Dorothy Clay
(Alumnus, Maxine Imogene Duncan-Lively's daughter)

_________________________________________

I hope that your reunion was wonderful. I am sure that you were overwhelmed with all of the festivities and meeting all of the people. Thank you so very much for all that you have done for Bonny Oaks. A piece of all of us is there and we all have a bond whether we knew each other or not.
Just a note to let you know that my mother did, indeed, arrive home safely. She had a doctor's appointment today. I have not heard how that went yet. I was not aware that she had had a minor stroke before she left to go to the reunion. But she said that she still has double vision in her right eye, so she did not rent a car while she was back there. She wished it could have lasted longer. She said that it was really wonderful, but much too short.  She thought you were just about the most wonderful person, and kept referring to  the Hawks girl who lives here as a real "cracker". She said that everyone was so sweet and really looked after her. Thanks so much for looking after her. And she said that you were going to send some pictures for her and for me to be sure and copy them.  Glad you made it home safe and sound.

God bless you and yours. Hugs to you.
Carol Smith Crowley
(Barton B. Smith's daughter, speaking of her mother, Betty Smith, who attended the reunion in honor of her husband, Barton, Alumnus 1940's)
_________________________________________

Hey Christine, hope you had a safe trip home. My flight was suppose to fly out at 2:10 at Chatt on Sunday but I didn't leave until 5:00 got into Cinncinati around 6:00 and left at 8:45pm was suppose to arrive in Seattle at 6:30 but got there 10:35pm, gee it was a long day for me . I am missing everyone already, I had such a wonderful time. Did you see the Chatt Sunday Press article, it turned out nice with the interviews, since I had such long layovers I read all of George Hatch's autobiography, it was very good. As soon as I get the film developed which will be this week I will send you pics. Talk to you later, xoxoxox

Yours very truly,
Daisy Hawk

_________________________________________

IT HAPPENED!
Hope you made it home safely. We had a good trip home. Have a good nervous break down. LOL. 

George Hatch
 _________________________________________

Tue 30 Jul 2002

Along with many others, Mary and I are grateful for your efforts in building our Bonny Oaks home page, and bringing so many of us together again, in spirit if not in person. But now comes bringing us together in person, and that's a whole new ball game!

Saturday began with the 6:00 a.m. continental breakfast at the hotel, which I attended to cheer George Hatch on his way to get some work done on the Cap and Shirt booth, then my wandering around the Dent House and the Chapel, visualizing where all the old buildings used to be, and followed at 9:00am by welcome services in the Chapel.

Now there was an event to be remembered! In our younger days, to get one of us to cry. . . to actually shed tears publicly . . . you'd need a bull whip and a pretty good sized man to use it! . . . but when Harry Jackson asked for volunteers to say what might have been their fate
had there been no Bonny Oaks to take them in . . .well, the dam sort of broke loose!

Mr. Adamson's Invocation set the tone of remembrance of our early years at Bonny Oaks and our later lives, armed with the self respect and determination gained there. In dozens of  conversations throughout the day, those topics and values were equally present along-side the "Do you remember" anecdotes heard on all sides! 

And then, when Harry tried to give credit to the members of the Reunion Committee, almost every single one of them was off taking care of things needed for the day's planned events, like sign-up sheets, name tags, icing down the water melon, getting the cold drinks and food service stands into position, and dozens of other such things.

George Hatch said he felt guilty being present and not off working, but don't forget, George, you were up for that 6:00 o'clock breakfast and an early start!)

And speaking of "Do you remember" types of anecdotes, a few which were heard repeatedly were:

The Fire:  The time the hay-barn burned down, and our breeding Bull, Centaur, went berserk, and scared all of us pretty badly, except for a neighboring farmer, (Mr. Ross, I believe) who came over in his pickup truck and tried to use it to herd old Centaur into a quiet corner, upon which the bull picked the front of the truck up on his horns and marched forward, pushing the truck, wheels vainly spinning and smoking, backward into a ditch about twenty yards away.

I was watching when it happened, but had not remembered, as he reminded me, that Ed Parker was in the passenger's seat of the pickup at the time!

The Old Chapel:  A number of us remembered the Old Chapel, especially its having been one of the few places where boys and girls were ever present together; where school events were held; where Christmas parties and present distribution took place. And finally, where many of us  worked to remodel the chapel and make it into a skating rink.

My particular task in the early part of that project was one which is rarely heard of now a days: Straightening nails for reuse!

Building the new hay barn:  Under the direction of Mr. Truman E. Moore the new hay barn was built.  Both George Hatch and I worked on that project.

Later in the day of the reunion, I saw some pictures in the scrap books showing that event in progress.

As the 3:00 o'clock closing hour for our reunion approached it became "good-bye" and "let's- keep-in-touch!" time, the saddest part of the day!

Thank you, Christine, members of the reunion committee and their helpers, and all attendees for making our reunion of 2002 happen!

God Bless us every one

Later,

Art and Mary Prichard