Cindy (nee Riegel) Espinosa can't wait to get back to Stephenville to see what things are like, and to relive some wonderful old memories.
Ms. Espinosa now lives in Lompoc, near Santa Barbara, California. But she arrived in Stephenville on Christmas Eve, 1958 as a 12-year-old, and she'll never forget her time here.
"I have so many happy memories," says Ms. Espinosa.
"All the snow, breaking icicles and sucking on them, eating lobster, the dry (nonfat) milk we drank for some reason... riding the base bus, the Teen Club.
"We were just one big family. We knew so many people, and everyone was having a lot of fun. We always had a lot of energy. My best school years were spent here. Newfoundland was wonderful."
Ms. Espinosa explains that friendships were transitory or temporary because transfers meant a constant stream of families coming and going. In a way, this made friendships even more important and deep-felt.
She says she lost contact with her best friend who left the base six months before she did in 1961. But 25 years later they reconnected and were just as close as ever. She says the people who attend the Harmon High reunions held in the States have amazingly strong bonds with each other.
Besides the national reunions every two years, there are regional gatherings annually.
Her father, Norbert (Pete) Riegel, and mother Melva, are still living in California and have fond memories of their time at the Harmon base. Major Riegel, now 84, has the distinction of having flown in three different wars for his country.
Her brother Mark (who died three years ago) got his first guitar in Stephenville, and went on to make quite a career for himself in the entertainment field in the U.S.
"I remember he even built an igloo while we were in Stephenville!"
Ms. Espinosa herself has three children and five grandchildren. Along with her duties as a police and fire dispatcher, they keep her very busy.
"I'm always talking about the Newfoundland reunions to the people I work with. Many had never heard of Newfoundland, but now they come in and tell me when they come across references to it. They're all excited for me that I'm finally getting a chance to come back here."
Ms. Espinosa will travel with a small group of Harmon grads to Los Angeles where they will meet up with a larger group which in turn will meet up with even more in Toronto and in Halifax. The reunion will obviously get started early at 35,000 feet or so.
Ms. Espinosa feels she's bound to have a great time this weekend, if her earlier stay here was any indication.
"I just had a ball. We had the time of our lives.... It was the perfect place to raise children (if you weren't a mother having to cope with all the boots and so on!)
"I remember Newfoundland people as probably the friendliest people in the world.... It's going to be great to reminisce, be a kid again and relive so many beautiful memories."
The then-new Ernest Harmon High School in 1963. It is now the LA. Bown building of the Bay St. George campus of the College of the North Atlantic.
An earlier building that housed Harmon High School. It was located near the Harmon Theatre and alongside the Stephenville Manor building.
Harmon High School when it was housed in a very early site. This building is not far from the current Razoolies Lounge.
Harmon High was a very active school in 1963. One of the forces keeping students' spirits up was the cheerleaders.
