By Dan Walton
Roll call – everybody who went through adolescence at high school in Oliver is being called back to town.
From teachers to students, all alumni from South Okanagan High School and Southern Okanagan Secondary School have been invited to the All-Year Gathering next month.
Students of all eras are welcome and graduation is not a requirement. Vast amounts of time and space are being travelled for the event – one former student is flying in from Mexico for the gathering, and another attendee who’s already RSVP’d is a graduate from the Class of 1954. Other confirmed alumni will be travelling from the Yukon and state of Illinois.
Planning for the 2017 gathering has been underway for the past year, and the visionaries who turned it into a reality are Jo Tanner and Charlene Eacott.
It’s not exactly known how many alumni will be attending, but the event’s Facebook page, SOHS & SOSS All Year Gathering has nearly 600 members.
“As this event will bring revenue to our town, we encourage all former students, business owners, mayor and council members, plus former teachers to get your registration submitted,” said Jana Huolt, who was a student of SOSS in the 1970s and is now one of the event’s organizers.
The feelings of rediscovery will last a full weekend – August 11, 12, and 13. The gathering begins on Friday night with a meet ‘n’ greet at the Fire Hall Brewery. Saturday night will pack the most energy with a catered buffet and live DJ music at the community centre. Then on Sunday is a bring-your-own-picnic to the community park.
The cost to register is $40 and the deadline is Aug. 2.
For more information, follow the Facebook page or contact Huolt by calling 250-490-1930 or email [email protected].
