Kevin Shumelda:
CLASS OF 1973
The Wheatley SchoolClass of 1973
Old westbury, NY
University of Maryland University CollegeClass of 1996
College park, MD
Computer Learning CenterClass of 1981
Springfield, VA
SUNY College at OswegoClass of 1977
Oswego, NY
North Side Elementary SchoolClass of 1965
East williston, NY
Kevin's Story
Since March 2021 lost 41bs.Now 201..
03/21 I purchased new home (#7.) Paid for/no mortgage. FL home went up in value so I sold it and took profit and used proceeds for this house. Moved. Now just a 5 minute walk to lake. In just 2.6 yrs. shows a $163k profit.
01/17 Bought new house #6- a new single family home on a lake.in FL & no mortgage. $117k profit after 4yrs.
06/17 Was fortunate enough to have fully retired at 61. I worked for organizations which supported US Gov work, "alphabet" intel agencies ( CIA, NSA, DEA, DIA, FBI, etc.) and the US Military in CONUS / OCONUS locations (central & southern commands) where I interviewed / recruited operatives/engineers with clearances to TS / SCI w /Full scope polygraph. I was granted a DoD Top Secret/SSBI Clearance ( now inactive) (see Linked In for more - Kevin Shumelda, MA,PHR)
During time at Wheatley I participated in Soccer ( JV Captain), Wrestling and Track (Pole Vault & 440) besides pursuing my academics. In grades 8-12 I scored in the top 10 the USMC fitness tests ( 2nd place in 11th. 1st place in 12th ). I also made Varsity Club my senior year. After HS I went to Nassau Community College and then SUNY Oswego State University and received my Associates and Bachelor's degrees. I then spent 4 yrs. in Florida in Police work. A shootout situation prompted a "rethink" so I moved and settled in the Washington DC area, went back to school, and graduated from a 1 year computer school. Later, I pursued / graduated from U of MD and obtained my Masters degree. Interests over time have included Tennis, Racquet Ball, Martial Arts ( Shotokan Karate- Purple Belt), automobiles, rallies ,automotive autocross, 14yrs crewing on 30-40 ft. racing sailboats on the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River ,and motorcycling. Good memories of North Side School, Wheatley Hills Golf Course, Williston Park, Roslyn, Glen Cove, Jones / Bar Beach.
12/28/21 Paul Marinello, 66, has passed .. I remembered Paul's kindness shown at ~age 7 and I reminded him of the situation decades later.. RIP Paul..
4/2/18 - Doug Browning , Pinellas Park, FL. A friend since 1965 /5th grade /age 10 passed due to complications from bladder cancer. More info on Facebook .
07/15 trip to Skiathos, Greece. A buddy of mine remarried and they had their wedding there.. Spectacular and unusual. .
1/22/10 Tucker Geery was laid to rest. An "Endless Summer" to Tucker and I am thankful for his friendship since age 10 / 5th grade.. Montauk, LI.
9/10/14 Tom Volpe, childhood friend has passed. A friend since age 9 /4th grade.
11/2017 Mary Roeder now gone. I wish her family well .
2010-we lost Billy Tatum during this period
Gene Martone is now gone ....
"ACADEMIC MEMORIES"-
MY FIRST JOB- I would shovel snow with Randy H and Roger S from approximately age 9 but my first "real" job was at 12. My parents would not give a raise on my weekly allowance so I went and asked Mr. Najar at the corner candy store by King Kullen for a job. $1.00 per hour when my allowance was .25 cents week. .This was the start of my "high finance" . I worked all day Saturday and two days after school during the week washing pots/pans / sweeping up.
THE BIG D- age 5-17- A store up in Williston Park that I loved and was within walking distance from home. It was good for school supplies but it also had THE BEST selection of toys, models , and especially Matchbox cars and water pistols. A proverbial little kid delight. Sometimes I would just enjoy going to look at the stuff but especially fun when I had a few bucks to blow. Probably my absolute favorite store aside from Roosevelt Field. A nearby "cousin " was the "Five & Ten" which sold little toys for 10 to 25 cents and it was a haven when I wasn't as "rich". Both are now gone and embedded in childhood memories and much missed.
CHILLER THEATER-age 5-12 when too old to go to bed early on Saturday and too young to hang out with the guys I would watch these movies on Saturday evenings. This and its cousin "Supernatural Theater" would show truly awful 40's,50's and early 60's Monster and Sci-Fi movies. Our TV was in the finished basement, where it was dark. Our heater would make "exciting " noises that seemed to coincide and work in cooperation with the scarier parts of the movies. Now these movies were pure trash...but yet like a deer in the headlights you couldn't look away. You never see these "classics" "today.....and yeah, I miss them.
RIDES TO THE INSTITUTION-9/73 An ongoing joke was played repeatedly on unwary "friends". By autumn 73 it was my turn to be tricked. In general, the idea was to be taken to Glen Cove to a "mental institution". You were told in advance that "at night patients roamed the grounds and approach the car if you drive by slowly". Others would be there in advance or ride in the trunk of the car. As we got there my chauffer rode by slowly. Sure enough "patients " started to approach the car. SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME...but yet we just had to go around the loop "just once more". Each time our car slowed and eventually stopped. The final time the driver was dragged out of the car by the zombies. Scared out of my head and there I sat wondering "well sooner or later they will get me". I am proud to say that I was one who got out of the car and went to help. I was punching and kicking like Bruce Lee. After punching the kid multiple times I finally recognized a face from school..... Good joke but now it was my turn to find new victims...and all for "good humor".
MY FIRST CAR-3/73-9/73 which I bought for $750.. a 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 2 door station wagon. It looked like the 55-57 Chevrolet Nomad , I have only seen 2 since 73 even though I always look and it wasn't until the internet that I found out how rare they were....even more so than the Nomad . Only 4,378 were made in 64 /65 combined.(Honda makes about 350k Accords per year). Only 653 were made with a V8 in 1965. Restored today they are worth up to 40-50k and they show up in California with the hot rod crowd. It had a floor mounted 4 speed. dual exhausts and a 4bbl V8. I hand sanded the entire car over summer of 73 and I had repainted it white for $60. Dad forced me to sell by 9/73 since it was problematic. After adding some miles and restoring her I sold it for $850 and she was quite nice by the time I saw her drive away. A guy from an auto supply store up past Williston Park bought it . I would imagine it may still be around in some form even today since it was too nice and much too rare to let go to waste. At least I hope so. Google 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 2 door Wagon to see. I still have never seen even one on Barrett Jackson auto auctions.
ZEKE SHMUDA MEMORIAL RUN-Dr. August was our Gym teacher in 8th grade. In the 1st class he kept calling out "Zeke Shmuda"!!louder and louder.. Who the hell is Zeke Shmuda?
Could he mean me? Apparently so. He couldn't read my handwriting or pronounce my name and he later decided to make a lengthy run named after this. It went on for years and its my "claim to fame" . Hey, I ran too despite it named after me .
Summer 72.WATER WEENIES- were made with surgical tubing "obtained" from Joe's Dad, and forcing it to fill with water out of a hose. Joe, Chuck C and I had a knock down water fight. When you filled the tubing with water it would expand in diameter and in length making it look like a big sausage. The original 12" section was knotted at one end, but when filled with water it expanded to over 4ft needing you to drape it over your back. It would shoot water easily 25ft. Much fun, but especially funny when one broke over Joe's back and jolted him like he received an electric shock.
Winter 71-BUMPER HITCHING--Chuck and I decided to go "Bumper Hitching" during a really good snow storm. This entailed waiting at a stop sign and hiding behind a bush for cars to come along. As a car came to a stop we would run out behind the car, crouch down on our heels ,and go for a ride behind the car hanging onto the rear metal bumper. Although fun, it was the height of stupidity. Most rides would last about a block or two at about maybe 10mph on the side streets of East Williston. This night the snow was absolutely perfect for rides and the rides lasted for blocks. Quite a "thrill"....that is until the driver turned out onto Roslyn Rd. and the speed picked up...with traffic behind us! The driver finally stopped for a light at Hillside Ave and Roslyn Rd. We were scared out of our heads and lucky to be alive. I never did it again.
1967-7th Grade-THE FLY- Tucker G, Jeff S and I were in class together. The class had all desks lined up in a square facing the center of the room. On a particular beautiful warm spring day the teacher opened the windows ....A fly came into the room and gave Tucker its attention. Tucker sat motionless with his head held up by both hands and placed his elbows on his desk . His eyes followed the fly back and forth and up and down. Snickers began as he rolled his eyes each way the fly flew......until the fly landed right on the very tip of Tucker's nose!! He continued to look at the fly cross eyed and without laughing. Of course no one else could keep from howling. The teacher couldn't teach for the rest of the class. .
THE CARBIDE CANNON-1967 age 12- Randy H and I were sitting outside his front door one afternoon. Randy had this truly amazing "toy" which he described as a "Carbide Cannon". Although it was the size of a small toy cannon it was certainly not a toy. Carbide powder was inserted into the cannon chamber and a trigger then caused a spark. The result was a BANG like you wouldn't believe. Better than an M80 . HOO BOY,WHAT JOY! As each car would come to the stop sign we...Expand for more
set this cannon off. Person after person would stop and then get out of their car to look if they had a flat tire. We sat still ,scared, quiet and expressionless --but only until they left. Overflowing amounts of laughter then commenced ....and which Randy's Mom quickly put an end to. She always knew when to put a lid on our slowly percolating crock pot of fun. I suppose we should have been thankful to her to prevent us from blowing ourselves up......but no fun in that, eh?
HALLOWEEN EGGS-1968 age 13 Doug B and I ran into each other one Halloween Each of us were making the transition at different times. Some were still collecting candy. Some were out to throw eggs. Dougie graduated to Egg HS early. Just as he was about to launch one at me an adult came out and questioned him. He then quickly tried to hide the egg in his pants pocket and act completely innocent. Yes, Doug was very good at acting innocent yet be deep in a scheme. As he did so I ran up to him and smacked his pocket breaking the egg. He just stood there speechless and looking at his now soaked pocket .Priceless !
1965-Age 10 -TOUGH CHIPMUNKS-Doug B. and I took work gloves and plastic & paper bags from his garage. Chipmunk gang members were known to hang out in the rain gutter down pipes around his house... acting tough, showing off their chipmunk tattoos, wearing leather chipmunk jackets, smoking chipmunk smokes ,cutting chipmunk classes,...you know the type. Just a bad element and going nowhere in chipmunk life. As you banged on the gutter chipmunks would ditch their smokes and try to run out the bottom of the gutter. Doug and I would place bags over the ends and catch them as they ran out. Quite entertaining until Alvin clamped down through the bag and through the glove onto Doug's finger and wouldn't let go. Doug then danced like he was on American Band Stand. Yes, these were truly tough chipmunks.
SANDTRAPS-1966 age 11 Frank C and I took an "expedition" on Wheatley Hills Golf Course after a good ice storm . This storm was unusual in that it filled many of the sand traps with water which then froze......except for the one Frank decided to actually stand on... He went through the ice all the way up to his waist.... in 20 degree weather. As we departed and began to walk home Frank's pants froze. From the distance of the sand trap to my house (3/4 mile)-Frank could barely walk due to the freezing temperature and the now frozen pants. He looked and walked like a penguin. We got his clothes dry at my house. This time it truly paid off to say "No, you go first". .
SNURFING SAFARI-Wheatley Hills Golf Course. Wet & wild and we became very good at this. Snow boarding in its infancy. Back then they were known as "Snurfers".We would takes turns trying to topple each other when someone took a turn down the hill.. You could stay here only as long as your jeans stayed dry, your tolerance for wet pants in winter was high and your Willy didn't get too chilly.
NEW YEARS EVE-1972 age 16 ...Winter 1971.Chuck took a bottle from his parent's liquor cabinet and we drank a liter bottle of 7up and washed it down with a fifth of Whiskey ...(or maybe the other way around). This was at the Rail Road overpass off Roslyn Road. We then went to a party. I wasn't there more than 5 minutes and I promptly puked right on the living room carpet. I was then "helped" outside in the snow and then passed out on a lawn chair with the snow covering my face. I had to literally crawl home ~.2 miles. Thank you Chuck C. and Vicky A. for getting me home. I was told it was a good party..
KINDERGARTEN-age 5 1960 Richie S. was in a standoff with our teacher, Miss Rodell. Richie wanted to continue playing with wood blocks after Miss Rodell wanted to begin a lesson. He picked up a block as if to throw at her. It was like a dramatic shootout in a western movie. I also remember picking flowers from someone's garden on the way to school to give to Miss Rodell. She was about 23 and ***Soo PRETTY***.At age 5 I apparently went for a much more mature woman. Miss Rodell thanked me but had the proper etiquette not to mention the dirt still on the bottoms of the flower stems. First girl I had a crush on. besides Shirley Temple and Darla / Little Rascals. She would talk to me and I never heard a single word she said as she was too pretty to concentrate.
JEFF S-and TUCKER G These two made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe at times We met in 7th and 5th grade respectively and both kept me highly amused until graduation. We Snurfed together, went on church retreats, and exchanged surfing info . I still keep in touch w / Jeff in San Diego, CA.. and he still surfs ..3/24 Jeff may be moving to Florida-TBD
FRANK C. -we met in 5th grade and grew up nearby each other. He has been someone who was quick to laugh and make me laugh and see different perspectives. We still talk today and I am thankful for the friendship. Still in contact. Married to Beth P ,Old Westbury LI and PBG, FL .
DOUGIE B-my friend from age 10/ 5th grade. Pinellas Park Florida .I visited with him on 2/2 and talked frequently with Doug from 12/2017 until his passing on 4/2/18. .
JOYCE C. Age 5-21-My next door neighbor who I named "Joysee Woysee". I only teased because I liked her. Teasing was the typical strange way little boys showed affection. I'm sorry I told her it was going to thunderstorm (when it wasn't). A very nice girl .
MARY C.-I .had regrets about breaking up and conveyed it 35yrs later. She is a Librarian lives in Williston Park, NY. Now retired 2022
KATHY C-- Now an Artist .I loved her swimming pool, playing pool in her basement and freezing together on her patio in winter. Now in Essex County, NJ
LOUISE R--I always think of her laughter and pretty smile. What a great disposition and a true sweetheart of a girl.
MARIE Z-I miss her and your family and our times shared. She lives in Mineola, NY. and works in Williston Park. Mr. Zorn has passed in 2012 (RIP)
CHUCK C- my bud since 14.Both lucky to be alive. Still in contact. He is in Manhattan NYC.
JOE P / TEDDY P-I miss them both, our fun, and friendships are very well remembered. Both kept me laughing. in the last three years of Wheatley . Joe is now out in Suffolk County, LI and retired from the NYC Police Dept. Teddy works in construction and last time we talked lived in Hicksville, NY.
HELENE D.- We met at Nassau CC and she was truly special to me. Still in touch. Rochester NY
SUMPS-The best was by the Williston Park Rail Road tracks. I suppose one of the traits which made them fun is that we weren't supposed to be in there. We had to climb over a fence to get in and once in we were able to play hockey during the winter. The ice was usually pretty solid.(usually.) A few of us did go through the ice but it wasn't that deep. Why was the WP sump the best? We got to meet the girls from the WP School district there. Carla, Rose Ann,& Patty. The WP sump is now gone.... "to progress".
WHEATLEY HILLS GOLF COURSE- Winter was sledding and Snurfing. In Spring , Summer, and Fall we worked as caddies and made good bucks.$20 was easy if you took two bags and got a tip which was quite good money in 69-73.It was a place to go drinking in the summer and autumn and it became an escape haven when golfers weren't out playing golf. Driving and racing the golf carts made the work worth it. Yeah, we actually played some golf on it too. .
RINGELEVIO-Older against younger 8 per side was typical and you really had to be fast since the older guys would try to catch us ...and then try to beat the crap out of you. Why? We made them run so hard to catch us.... and they just liked trying to beat the crap out of us. Seems simple enough . The entire grounds of North Side school were the "boundaries".
CUB SCOUTS-/Pine Wood Derby. Won three years in a row and I still have the brass awards from 64,65,and 66.Bob L and Randy H's Moms and Bruce L's and my Dad were Den people. Pine Wood Derby was a typical father and son project .In this case 65% Father / 35% son. Thank you Dad.
CARS-The Cub Scouts Pine Wood Derby ,Matchbox toy cars, Hot Rod and Motor Trend magazines and Revell and AMT car models are probably the reason why I have a car "drug habit" today This is truly my only vice. I don't gamble or drink or have any other vices . I am now on car #24 since HS and I truly need an intervention. My girlfriend says I am an "autoholic".. All cars have been stick manual transmission until the new 15 GTI.
car #24 -2018 Audi TT Competition Coupe- Sold - .#23 2015 Fiat ABARTH 500- sold.....#25 2023 VW GTI 40th Anniversary has arrived in 7/23 , 2022 Mazda MX5 Miata arrived 12/23
WATER PISTOLS-showed up in spring like clockwork. Big D had a great selection and they lasted only as long as you were able to escape teacher's detection. A necessity in the hallways for "protection". Selection of which one was a major production. Was it easy to reload? Small for concealment? Large for water capacity? How far could it shoot? I chose the exact same pistol as James Bond; a Walther PPK. It was light, it was balanced, it was accurate and easily concealable. No difference at all in my 10yr old mind except mine was red, plastic and was a water pistol. Since I already worked as a Secret Agent for the US Government at age 10 I had a permit and was trained and licensed to carry one.(issued a government license to squirt).
FLORIDA-After college I moved to FL and for 4 yrs. worked in law enforcement. I also purchased my first property in Florida ( age 23/ my money). A 1 bedroom condo right on the intercoastal waterway w/ built in pool and a great view of the waterway..
Thanks for reading, Hope you are well / living your dream .Kevin
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