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Oct 17, 2024

A class ring and a hurricane converge in the life of a local woman - The Local Reporter

October 16, 2024 COMMUNITY NEWS By Michelle Cassell Editor CHAPEL HILL—Pat Garavaglia had no idea that a men’s class ring she found in 1983 while digging in her flower garden in Carrboro would not

October 16, 2024

COMMUNITY NEWS

By Michelle Cassell Editor

CHAPEL HILL—Pat Garavaglia had no idea that a men’s class ring she found in 1983 while digging in her flower garden in Carrboro would not only connect her to the owner but also the circumstances surrounding the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the western part of North Carolina.

“I did what I could to locate who might be the owner of this 1969 men’s class ring. But this was ten years before the Internet,” said Garavaglia. “The ring was inscribed with the words

Friendship High School with the symbol of an eagle on it and a beautiful blue stone in the center.”

Garavaglia kept the ring, and as years passed and she obtained a computer, she started to research it again. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the ring was engraved with the name Friendship Central High School and the initials “D.J.G.” Her first email to the school went unanswered. Finally, she gave up and called the office at Friendship Central School in upstate New York.

Friendship Central High School is located in Friendship, New York, a small town with a population of less than 2000. From its website, she could tell that it was a very small school with an eagle as its mascot. Her persistence paid off: “A woman named Jackie was interested enough to help me and promised to research the class and get back to me.”

A few weeks later, Garavaglia received a call from Donna Lewis, who took the information and promised to help as well. Lewis found the Class of ‘69 yearbook and discovered a man named Dan Garrett. He was part of the class with only 23 students. However, he was not the man. After posting the ring on the school board’s Facebook page they found the man. His name is Don Guilford and a number to call or text him accompanied his name.

Pat Garavaglia’s trail of the ring follows the path of Hurricane Helene

The ring’s owner is a dentist living in Cherokee, North Carolina. He was without power due to the recent storm damage from Hurricane Helene. Finally, Garavaglia received a text from Dr. Guilford. “He was very excited that I had found the ring. He had lived in my house when he was at UNC Dental School in the mid-70s. He said he thought it had flown off his finger when his hands were soapy and he was washing his car,” commented Garavaglia..

She packaged the ring and sent it off to him. After years of searching and not giving up Garavaglia lived up to her promise to find the ring’s owner. “I was never thinking I actually would and the fact that he’s alive and thrilled to get the ring back seems kind of like an unbelievable story,” she said.

Dr. Don Guilford DDS proudly showing off his 1969 class ring. It still fits! Photo courtesy of Don Guilford.

Another happy hurricane ending related to Garavaglia

Garavaglia’s two sisters-in-law live in Ashe County, North Carolina near the town of West Jefferson in Grassy Creek, another small town that was not the main focus of relief efforts. Isolated by a bridge and road that were washed away, it was very difficult for anyone to get to them. “They were one of the lucky ones because they still had their house,” said Garavaglia.

Photo of washed-out road near Grassy Creek, North Carolina. Photo courtesy of Pat Garavaglia.

After finding a generator at Costco, she met their son in Winston-Salem, who used an all-terrain vehicle and a tractor to get the generator to them. “They were able to hook it up to their pump to get water and power their refrigerator.”

So Pat Garavaglia, now affectionately known by her family as “Lord of the Rings,” is looking for her next adventure.

Michelle Cassell is a seasoned reporter who has covered everything from crime to hurricanes and local politics to human interest over the course of 35 years. As managing editor, she hopes to encourage writers of a wide range of backgrounds and interests in TLR’s coverage of Southern Orange County news. This reporter can be reached at [email protected]

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