Alumni Return From Far And Wide For Annual Banquet

WAITSBURG - The 108th Waitsburg Alumni Banquet was held Saturday night, May 28, in the Multipurpose room at Waitsburg Elementary with Ross Hamann, Class of ' 80, and Waitsburg School Board Chairman, welcoming the one hundred sixty-eight who attended.

The meeting was conducted by Peggy Baker Henry, Class of 1974, and President of the Waitsburg High School Alumni Association.

President Henry congratulated and introduced the nine members of the Class of 2011 present; Austin Garrett Nolan Beasley, Nicholas Thomas Carpenter, Katelinn Chelsea Foley-Hutsell, Eric Michael Lienhard, Jennefer Gaylene Lyden, Amber Eileen Morris, Christy Nicole Poirier, Dru David Somers, and Megan Michele Withers. The 2011 seniors then introduced their family members.

Michele Saranovich, Class of 1971, from Washington D.C. traveled the farthest. The earliest class present was 1936 with Pete Kinder in attendance. Next was Bettie Chase, class of '38, Ivan Keve & Jim Hansen, Class of '39. The Class of '41, observing 70 years since graduating, was attended by JoAnn Hamilton Stonecipher Fiala, Ruth Hansen, Erma Crall Gilbertson, and Wade Wolfe. Other classes celebrating milestone years were: Classes of '46, '51, '56, '61, '71, and '76.

The gathering place after the banquet was the Town Hall, with musical entertainment by alumni Clint Donley, Class of '67, Bill Donley and Duanne Gusse, both Class of '62, and Jeff Broom, Class of '64.

The Alumni Banquet and Annual Meeting next year will be Saturday, May 26, with R. Wesley Leid as President; Todd Wood, Vice President; Mary Liebermann Phillips, Recording Secretary; Mary Kay Hinchliffe Paul, Corresponding Secretary; and Tammy Warehime Brown, Treasurer.