Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
ONTONAGON — Up to a thousand Ontonagon Area High School graduates and their families and friends are expected to celebrate the 2015 All School Reunion in Ontonagon this upcoming Friday and Saturday, July 24-25.
The reunions have been held every five years. This year’s event features two new co-chairs, Ontonagon County Clerk Stacey Preiss and Rich Ernest. The pair took over the massive work of organizing the event, which hundreds of former students are expected to attend, after longtime chairman Andy Lockhart retired.
Preiss said the organizing effort was aided by the extensive work done by Lockhart in documenting all graduates’ names and former addresses.
Alumni can register as well as pick up name tags and lists of individual class events, dates and times on Friday, July 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ontonagon Area High School.
Nearly every possible venue that can hold students is being utilized by the various classes. Several classes, for example, are meeting at different sites at the township park, others at various bars, restaurants, halls and homes. Various classes are being helped financially by the alumni committee.
One activity planned by the committee is a luncheon for students in all classes prior to 1956. The luncheon will be held at the Holy Family Church Hall on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Only two other general activities for all students and friends have been arranged. One will be a street dance on River Street in Ontonagon Friday, July 24 from 8 p.m. to midnight. The next night, the scene moves to the Ontonagon Recreation Center for a homecoming dance from 7 p.m. to midnight. DJ Tim Dorsey, of Green Bay, will provide the music. Those who have not paid a registration fee and have a name tag will be charged $5 at the door to assist in covering costs.
“As the event nears we are starting to hear from alumni as they are arriving and are excited to see classmates, many who have not been in Ontonagon since the last event five years ago,” Preiss said.