Community Update

Class Of ’61 Is A Class Act!

Summer is
traditionally a time for weddings, graduation parties, reunions, and of course
travel vacations.  In regards to
reunions, a perusal of local papers will disclose a number of high school
reunions that fill the summer schedule. 
Most high schools gather on the 10th or 25th or 50th
year after graduation but what about a school that convenes for the 47th
or the 52nd?  Yep, you read
that correctly.  Seems the graduates from
the 1961 class of the Detroit based Servite High School were so anxious to
interact and mingle that no one could wait until 2011 for the 50th
celebration so a reunion was held in 2008. 
Graduates arrived from all over the country some as far away as California
for the reunion.  Once the confetti and
balloons were picked up the group decided to meet again for the 50th
reunion this time for a three day event in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  That event was attended by 134 including
spouses with 28 alumni coming from other states.

Positive
feedback from the group meant that another reunion was planned to celebrate the
51st graduation and that was followed by the 52nd gala
which took place this past week.  Both
events were streamlined a bit and called “Burgers and Brews” and were held at a
neighborhood pub where hamburgers were the main bill of fare.  Over 60 alumni and spouses and friends
attended the soiree.

What makes
this class so extraordinary is that most of the grads are still married to
their high school sweethearts and many continue to reside in the tri-county
area of Michigan.  And all seem to have
aged gracefully.  Yes, there are some
ailments and maybe the star athletes have hung up their cleats and the
cheerleaders no longer can perform a triple jump but the spirit is still strong
and vibrant!

Interestingly
enough, the annual reunions of the Servite Class of ’61 have garnered so much
attention that other graduation classes have petitioned to become a part of the
excitement.  Evidently some graduates
prefer to interact with people outside of their own group and who can blame
them – we are a group of exciting, enthusiastic alumni!  So next summer if you hear a group of exuberant
people partying at some pub in a suburban location, it’s the Class of ’61
enjoying their 53rd reunion! 
Go Panthers!

Bill Kalmar