BHS Class of 1976 Celebrates 35th Reunion

Some high-school classes celebrate their 10-year reunions and then stop forever. 's 1976 graduates are a welcome exception, though, celebrating reunions every five years ... and doing so without a misstep since 1981.

This year marks 35 since the close-knit Class of 1976 graduated from Baldwin High.

While much has changed at BHS over the years—the Class of '76 will tour the recently remodeled school on Saturday—the camaraderie between its "Bicentennial Babies" seemingly hasn't. That was very apparent on Friday night when the class gathered at in Whitehall Borough's .

Attendees were eager to pose for pictures at Frisch's with their longtime friends and classmates, including a four-person reunion committee that reserved the restaurant that night. (You can view photos from Friday to the right of this page.)

Among the reunion committee is John Littell, who played a huge role in organizing Friday's event. Littell credits classmates and fellow reunion committee members Sherry (DeGenes) Frisch, Glen Subbot and Beth (Chichinski) Revak for also helping to keep the Class of '76 organized.

Frisch is part of the family that has owned Frisch's Restaurant, a Baldwin-Whitehall community staple, since 1948.

Littell said that the reunion festivities are a two-day affair, as his class will meet for a cookout at nearby South Park V.I.P. Picnic & Fun Center on Saturday in addition to taking the aforementioned high-school tour.

"Our last event for the 30th (reunion) was a bigger affair at the ," he said, pointing out that some members of his class travel from far outside of Pennsylvania to join their classmates. "Our 40th will also be a bigger affair."

Littell said that the reunion committee has moved to using today's technology to try to track down classmates and organize everyone.

"This year, we tried to reach people mainly through Facebook," he said. "It's worked to some degree. We got away from the mailings and everything ... 

"We're trying to reach out to the point where most of our classmates even ask, 'Is there going to be a reunion this year?'

"That helps. People do contact us."

If you're a member of the Class of '76 who has been missing the reunions, you can reach Littell at baldwin76reunion2011@yahoo.com.

Littell admitted that not every member of his class has been to one of its reunions but was still pleased with its turnout every five years.

"We're happy, for the most part, with every reunion that we've held," he said. "The turnout has been outstanding."

Littell said that the reunion committee has established itself as a non-profit organization and that it fundraises in order to hold gatherings like this weekend's.