Pictures from the reunion
Images of Our Journey Presentacion -Part 1 of 2
Images of Our Journey Presentacion- Part 2 of 2
Video clips from our reunion-April 26 2009. Remembering When...Images of Our Journey
Dear Pedro Pan Brothers and Sisters,
The room
was full of anticipation as it filled with the early arriving crowd at the Rio Hondo Golf Club Event Center in Downey, California
where slightly over 150 Pedro Pan, family and friends gathered for the Cuban Kids from the 60’s Exodus Pedro Pan of
California reunion with the theme Remembering When…
The early part of the afternoon was dedicated to socializing,
finding yourself in the map, and viewing the collages of the Pedro Pan Parents created by Arturo Bueno which is always a huge
crowd favorite.

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Pedro Pan Mother Mercedes Kou-Views Collage |
The hour
went by quickly, and it was time for our MC, Sergio Diaz, to call the gathering to order for the opening remarks during which
the passing of a great friend of the Pedro Pan in Southern California, Alberto Diaz, was noted. Next came the benediction
delivered by
Fr. Antonio
Marti before enjoying our lunch.
Following lunch, MC Sergio Diaz got the festivities rolling
by introducing the Pedro Pan parents in attendance. This was followed by the PowerPoint presentation
Images of Our Journey. The slide
show, compiled by Estela Bueno, Berta Freire, and Oscar Pichardo, is a pictorial journey of the Pedro Pan experience leading
us from the moment we left Cuba, through the Florida Camps, relocation, and adulthood.
Next, it
was time for our guest speaker Fr. Antonio E. Marti O.F.M. Cap., who is a Pedro Pan. Father Tony steered us through his very
unique and interesting experiences from arriving in the U.S. as Pedro Pan in 1962 through his current assignment as President
of Saint Francis High School in La Cañada, California.

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Fr. Tony Marti O.F. M. Cap |
Afterward, the signature and tradition of our group the
self introduction of the 10 Pedro Pan attending a reunion for the first time took place. A very emotional moment, as they
relate their Pedro Pan experience to their fellow brothers and sisters. This was done in outstanding fashion by Ondina Santa
Maria, who brought down the house with her hilarious anecdote of her travels from Florida City to Nogales, Arizona. You really had to be here!

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Ondina Santa Maria |
The final challenge of the afternoon was getting all
50 Pedro Pan in attendance together for the Pedro Pan group picture. Mission accomplished!

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Pedro Pan Group Picture |
The main reason we have these events is to bring people
together who perhaps have not seen each other for a while. This was never more evident than during this event. Pedro Pan brothers
Jose and Manuel Kou attended the event with their mother Mercedes, as well as Pedro Pan siblings Reinaldo and Oscar Fong who
were there with their mother Josefa. During the social hour Mercedes spotted Josefa and mentioned to her sons that she recognized
Josefa. Though somewhat skeptical, the Kou brothers followed through and much to their delight Mercedes was right. It turns
out the Fongs and the Kous were good friends in Cuba and had not seen each other since 1962 when they immigrated to the United
States

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Pedro Pan Parents-Mercedes Kou and Josefa Fong-Reunite after 50 years |
If you have pictures from the event you would like to share with the Pedro Pan family please email them to us
It takes the contribution of many to pull off an event
like this, so thanks to everyone out there who worked so hard to make this event an unqualified success!
We look forward to seeing all of you at our next event.
Do join us, and who knows: you may reconnect with an old friend!
Until we meet again! The Cuban Kids Working Group
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