Family reunion for Happy Valley

It was a great time had by all, and I am glad I attended. I had not seen the old gang in 32 years. THis reunion was put together in a most excellent way, combining two of the several parts that made up the Happy Valley campus, Woodycrest and Happy Valley Alumni were all present for the first time, and I look forward to more in the future. It was great to see all of you. Special Thanks to Jim Ashcroft, Danzil Monks and Tom Riley. David... Woodycrest 1968- 1975

My nephew David used to take me up to Happy Valley to see the old place, it was gorgeous with all the apple trees, and the very beautiful building Jesup Hall, for us to use, thank you Minisceongo Golf Club for allowing its use. Seeing the children/adults that my nephew grew up with, and knowing that everyone there had such happy moments, relieves my mind that David was there when he was a child. Thank you all for sharing with me your experiences as well. Lettie Osborne

Thanks to Minisceongo Golf Course for allowing us to return to our home and tour the grounds, with a special thank you to Don Christenson for assisting us and being so generous. I would also like to tell all those from Woodycrest that attended that it was a great feeling to see them all turn out in such large numbers. It was wonderful to know that as an extention of the Happy Valley Group the Woodycrest adults will forever be a part of the Happy Valley/Woodycrest reunions. I want all to know that it has meant a lot to me, and I want to especially thank Pete Carney and his family, the Mt-Ivy Thiells firehouse, Willie Allen, Michael Gaines, and Bob Baird of the Rockland Journal News. Remember it takes more than one individual to bring a group together.

Jim and others: How wonderful for you to put this reunion together. My aunt, Madeline Dowd, was placed in Happy Valley for 4-6 years around 1946 when she would have been about age 7or 8. Her younger sisters were placed elswhere. Their mother contracted polio and their father didn't stick around. Both their father and mother have passed on now. I am wondering if there were old records available about the kids-like a file on each child-that is available about my aunt's stay there? She lives in SC now and just had her 70th birthday!
Thanks! Chris (ckahle01@yahoo.com)

Just wanna give a big shout out to all of my homies from back in the day when I was at Woodycrest and to all of you who moved out of the city and upstate to those fabulous residences in suburbia.

After Woodycrest, it seems as if all of my "friends" are merely superficial in comparison.

Woodycrest was the best part of my life...where is everyone, dam it?!!

Woodycrest resident, 1967-1972

hi i am luina tigers younger bro i was in h.v from 1956 thru 1968 would like to get in touch with as many as possible also if anybody knows the wareabouts of valerie hanson been looking please contact me soon as possible at guyasutatiger@yahoo.com hope to here from you soon

hi Michael, just read this article ... we overlapped, I was at Happy Valley in 1967/68, don't remember that it was also Woodycrest, but I was 9 years old.

Michael Williams wrote:

Just wanna give a big shout out to all of my homies from back in the day when I was at Woodycrest and to all of you who moved out of the city and upstate to those fabulous residences in suburbia.
After Woodycrest, it seems as if all of my "friends" are merely superficial in comparison.
Woodycrest was the best part of my life...where is everyone, dam it?!!
Woodycrest resident, 1967-1972

hi, I was there when 9-10 years old 1967-1968 ... was Valerie Hanson the 16 y.o.(back then) who took off to greenwich village and was brought back? not in touch with anyone but curious.

guy tiger wrote:

hi i am luina tigers younger bro i was in h.v from 1956 thru 1968 would like to get in touch with as many as possible also if anybody knows the wareabouts of valerie hanson been looking please contact me soon as possible at guyasutatiger@yahoo.com hope to here from you soon

anyone remember Curtis jr., King Curtis' son??(1967-68)

Michael, you must have been one of the young guys, I was in Roberts Hall when you arrived. Norm Taylor (1958 - 1968). I did make it to the reunion held in 2009 in the restaurant in Manhattan.

I was at Happy Valley in Rockland county for almost seven years. 1940/1947. My two brothers were there quite a bit longer. I've been trying to find other "inmates" from back during the war years. There are a couple of fine books about the place and the orphan train. I found them on Google.