High school reunions are  milestones,  occasions for alumni to reconnect with classmates and teachers while reflecting on school days of the past and taking note of accomplishment since graduating. Getting them just right takes a fair bit of planning. With that in mind organizers of the Elmira District Secondary School (EDSS) 75th anniversary will get their reunion campaign rolling next week, two years before the event is scheduled to begin in 2014.

“We are launching early because our biggest task is getting the message out and getting as many people back to participate in the 75th anniversary as possible. That’s the total objective,” said Mike Forler, one of the organizers and the co-op coordinator at EDSS. “We have started our campaign two years ahead to recruit as many people as we can.”

The reunion committee would like to see as many former students return to the hallways of the school as possible.

“We have such a wide range of ages and our rational is that we want to see young people, people in their 30s and 40s all the way up to the 80 years old,” said Forler. “Obviously some people have moved away from the area, but they still have connections here so we are using the grapevine, tapping into the grandparents, parents, and friends to help contact everyone and get them all back.”

At the launch to be held May 30 at 11 a.m., alumni teachers along with the reunion steering committee will be giving all the details of what former students of the school should expect at the 75th anniversary reunion.
The kick off will take place in front of the school’s new sign placed in the University Avenue U at the front of the school.

“It will be a great way to kick off the entire event,” said Forler

The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1989 and had more than 3,000 people attend. For the 75th event organizers are hoping for an even bigger turnout.

“The last reunion was hugely successful and really big and we are aiming for more attendees for this next one and are aiming to go through so many more generations.”
Organizers are hoping for a whole cross-section of former students to attend the event.

“We don’t just want people from 50 or 60 years ago we would like to see this become a real community event,” he said

“This is about the community; the focus should not be just on the school. Our committee, which is made up of many alumni, has laid out a great program for everyone to enjoy and we are excited to share it with everyone at the launch.

“We want to be completely inclusive as possible and our goal is to not leave anyone out from the celebration who wants to come.”