Feb. 24, 2000 as a discussion title on a message board on a site called Classmates.com. I posted the original message naming a few classmates I knew of who had passed away and I hoped others would follow by adding names of other classmates. It was a way to keep people informed. It was also a way of keeping them with us.
The Motivation
When I became a member of Classmates in 1999 there were only 390 total alumni listed. As time went on more and more people began to join.
Everyday there were new
people joining and the message board
was very active with people becoming reacquainted with each other along
with new friendships beginning.
But the most famous question that was
always asked is
"Whatever happened to...?"
Many people have asked me over the years what prompted me to create this website & why it is so important to me. This is the story behind the
"Virtual Memorial"
The Purpose
Each time I went into the site to check if any new people were listed, I would think of the people who were gone and who would never be listed there. The reality of the people who would never have the opportunity to add their names and be remembered by the people they grew up with became clearer. I decided to start a discussion area on the message board specifically for the purpose of listing anyone who was gone.
That was the beginning of the "Virtual Memorial"
The memorial began with only 10 names listed.
Within the 1st year there were 238 discussions posted
and at present there are 275 postings.
As time went on the alumni joining classmates grew and each graduating year had more and more names every day. People were continually posting messages on the message board, and scattered throughout the different discussion areas would be a name posted here and there of someone who had died; but for me, when I would think of those people, it just wasn't enough.
The Website
In Jan. 2001, classmates.com decided to allow only paying members the privilege of posting messages on their message board. Non-paying members could read the posts but only paying members could add a post. As time went on less people were visiting the message board and after several months, the activity on the board came to almost a complete stop.
I decided at that point to put the
"Virtual Memorial" on a website. The "Virtual Memorial" is a tribute for the people who we grew up with and are no longer with us. It is a place where their names and the memories of them will last for eternity.
It is their place in time.
My Original Post Taken From The Classmates Message Board
From: MINDYE KAHN 1975 Feb 24 2000 5:41:00PM
To: ALL
(1) "Virtual Memorial"
I would like to dedicate this discussion title to the Wantagh High School students & faculty who are no longer with us. I set up this "Virtual Memorial" as a way to honor & remember them. Please add to the list, anyone you might know of who has passed on. These students & faculty were part of our lives at one time. We will never forget them.
Mr. Otterbeck - Faculty
Mrs. Bennett - Faculty
Ardyss Tighe - Class of 1973
Nancy McKenna - Class of 1975
Richard O'Connor - Class of 1975
Michael Swart - Class of 1975
Anne Apicella - Class of 1975
Linda Gunderman - Class of 1975
Nancy DeCosta - Class of 1975
John Biggin - Class of 1977
Mindye :)
I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to visit this site and a special thanks to those who have signed the guestbook. I would also like to thank everyone for their kind and supportive words regarding this site.
