35th Reunion

It’s here!  The 35TH anniversary of our graduation from The Citadel is upon us.  Yes, we are planning a reunion next fall.  Yes, we will party in the face of COVID.  Yes, we will travel to Charleston to fellowship, reminisce and reconnect.  And yes, we will remember and honor our classmates who have passed on before us.

REUNION INFORMATION

Homecoming weekend is November 12-14. Go ahead and mark it on your calendar and get your COVID vaccine.  Friday night promises to be an “off the chart” party night.  We are joining forces with the Stray Dog Society for the Homecoming Jamboree in downtown Charleston.  A live show band, full open bar, and top-notch caterers with chef attended stations are assembled for your entertainment and enjoyment.  The Class of ’86 will have a dedicated section at the party.  Senior year, we hired Doug Clark and the Hot Nuts to play for a Senior Party and they blew the roof off the State Ports Authority.  That was the best Senior Party EVER, but it won’t touch this band.  Google “Party On The Moon” and get ready for a super fun evening.  More reunion information is forthcoming.  The Reunion Committee just wants you to know we are moving at COVID speed and we look forward to overcoming the challenges of COVID and seeing you in November. Please know that due to COVID, we are having to plan this reunion a little differently than we have ever had to do before, but we are sure it will still be a grand time for all. Each of you will need to book your hotel room individually and buy your Friday night tickets individually from The Stray Dog Society. Therefore, our cost to each of you will be much less per person/couple because we have always paid for these events as part of your registration fee in the past. Our costs will cover the cost of our Saturday Tailgate function and circees that come as part of the Reunion package. More on that later.

REFLECTION

I sent you a letter last fall.  The message was inspired mostly by what was shared at the August 2020 funeral of our classmate, Matt Clancy, by his sons, Tyler and Connor.  In that letter, I challenged you to reach out and check on five classmates in five days.  I also challenged you to look back at your company senior picture and contact one classmate you have not seen at a reunion.  Did YOU do it?  Shortly after the letter was mailed and the challenges presented to you, Britt Poston, Hotel Company, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the mountains of Wyoming while on his annual back country hiking and camping trip.  Britt was on my list of five classmates to check on in five days.  Attending the funeral were classmates Jeff Miller (who delivered a heartfelt eulogy), JJ Hogan, Rob Turnley, Doug Brown, David Rosenblum, Richard Martin, Ted Solzbach, Dan Carrol, Scott Barnhart, Kyle Adams, Camp Segars, William Moorman, Kenny Wannamaker, Timmy Cooper and yours truly.  Come on fellas, none of us are promised tomorrow.  Reach out and check on each other and get a lost classmate to the reunion.  If you are looking for a reason to contribute to The Citadel, there’s none better than the memory and honor of a classmate.

Yours truly,

Kelly ‘86