Special to The Star-Herald
MARS HILL – Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 26 will be the sixth year for the ACI All-Class Reunion. In 1979, some ACI alumni began talking of holding a reunion every five years for all the ACI alumni. Their first reunion took place in 1983 with 809 alumni signing in for the weekend events. In 1988, there were 550 in attendance; in 1993 there was 722, and 552 in 1998. ACI’s first graduate was in 1909, with three more graduating in 1910. In total, there were 1,594 ACI alumni in 54 classes. The final ACI class graduated in 1965. At that time, the school became Central Aroostook High School. CAHS will be celebrating their third All-Class Reunion. CAHS was invited to join following the 1998 reunion and held their own reunion in 2000, to get their “feet wet” before the 2003 combined reunion.
This year’s events will begin Thursday, July 24. Registration will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the high school. There will be a photo display by John Hawksley in the music room throughout the weekend. There will also be various photo displays by different classes on Main Street throughout the weekend. There will be Wind Farm tours at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., beginning at the high school.
Thursday evening, there will be a Gospel Concert at the CAHS gym at 7 p.m. featuring High Meadow and Common Ground. Donations will be taken at the door. Friday, July 25, registration will be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., John Hawksley’s photo display will be available for viewing and the Wind Farm tours will again be offered at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. A Chicken BBQ ($7) will be served by the Mars Hill Fire Department at the high school from 4-7 p.m.
From 5-7 p.m., a Sock Hop will be enjoyed in the gym. At 7:30 p.m., a Variety Show will be presented at the high school. Again, donations will be taken at the door.
All funds raised during the reunion are used for reunion expenses. Any remaining funds are put into the Scholarship Fund to be presented during the next five graduations.
Any class that is planning a special get-together is asked to inform Kathy Miller at the Superintendent’s Office (425-3771), so it can be posted during registration. There will be classrooms available for these get-togethers if wanted. There will also be a poster up for each class at registration so folks can sign in with their local contact number and to post any special plans for the class.
Saturday’s events will begin with a Breakfast at the Mars Hill Snowmobile Club from 6-8 a.m.
Also offered during the weekend is the 17th Annual Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament, a 4-person scramble with tee times at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday. There are both Men’s and Ladies Divisions. Call 425-4802 to reserve your tee time.
A “Show and Shine” antique car review will be set up in the south parking lot of the high school.
BINGO will be available in the CAHS Music Room from 9:30 a.m.-noon. Bud’s “Baseball Dinner” will be at 11 a.m. at Bud’s home on Boynton Street.
There will be a Barber Shop Quartet performing at the Reviewing Stand on Main Street prior to the parade.
The Homecoming Parade, with the theme of “The Way It Was,” will begin at 1 p.m. at the old Town Office. All theme floats will be on display at the high school following the parade. This year’s Grand Marshals will be Joe and Veneita Shaw. There will also be three Shrine units, as well as many area queens, special floats, vehicles, tractors, etc.
There will be Horse Drawn Wagon rides throughout the afternoon from the Mars Hill IGA to the high school. At 2 p.m., there will be a motorcycle demonstration at the Mars Hill Fire Station at 2 p.m.
At 6 p.m., the Rotary Bean Supper ($6) will be offered at the high school. At 7 p.m., the Maine Army National Guard Band will present a concert in the gym. There will be a general meeting of the class reunion representatives and reunion planners following the concert.
At 9 p.m., the ACI/CAHS Alumni and friends are joining the Bridgewater Sesquicentennial participants for a dance at the Keith Kingsbury potato house on Main Street in Bridgewater.
The Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament will continue on Sunday with tee times at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Call 425-4802 for more information or to reserve a tee time.
Sunday afternoon, July 27, will feature a special parade at 12:30 p.m. in Robinson ending at Bill Gardiner’s Picnic Area. A Robinson School Get-Together will take place at 1 p.m. with a potluck picnic. If it rains, the get-together will take place in the CAHS Music Room.
Any alumni games (soccer and/or basketball) will be announced at registration.
Make plans now to be around July 24-27 for all the activities! A schedule of events is available at www.sad42.k12.me.us. Click on District Office and then Reunion Information.
