The graduating class of 1968 wants anyone who attended high school in Keremeos before 2000 to come out for a weekend of walking down memory lane.
Stacia Gladish is one of the organizers putting on a 50th reunion for the class of ’68.
“We haven’t had a reunion since I believe our 15th. I know there was a big deal down at the grounds maybe five or 10 years ago. Everyone was invited from Keremeos. But we wanted to do something that would bring our class together and just anybody who attended the high school,” she said from her home in Falkland.
Gladish said she left Keremeos after graduating from Keremeos Secondary School in 1968 and lived in Hedley for awhile before moving away from the Similkameen Valley. Her parents had a place on Highway 3 until the mid to late 80s. She hadn’t been back to Keremeos until last fall.
“I couldn’t find my way around,” she said with a laugh. “It was way different. The streets were sort of the same, the businesses were different some are gone and some are added.”
Her along with Joan Tillotson, a longtime Hedley resident who moved to Kamloops a year ago, decided there should be a reunion to welcome some people back to the community and celebrate those that stayed.
“We hope it turns into a multi generational thing. Where the parents or the grandparents come and so do their children and grandchildren,” she said.
The reunion will take place August 3, 4 and 5 at the Keremeos Elks rodeo grounds. There will be camping available for the weekend for $50 per person.
The weekend will start at about 3 p.m. Friday when the gates will open for campers. There will be a free hotdog and hamburger barbecue. And there will be a beer garden set up all weekend.
On Saturday night everyone is welcome to buy tickets for dinner, which will be a roast beef or cordon blue chicken dinner with salads and cake. Tickets are $25. Tickets must be bought by July 21.
There will also be a dance with a DJ and a beer garden open till about midnight.
Gladish said gifts will be given out for a variety of categories from farthest travelled to multi-generation grads and more.
She said she hoped to have registration done by July 21 so food for the weekend can be organized.
Anyone wanting to register or help out can contact Gladish at staciagladish@hotmail.com or call 250-379-2252.