100th Monongah High reunion may be its last
May 19—MONONGAH — The 100th annual, and possibly final, Monongah High Dinner and Dance will be held on May 27.
The Monongah Alumni Association, believed to be the oldest high school alumni association in West Virginia, will host the event at the Knights of Columbus on Mary Lou Retton Drive in Fairmont. Class pictures will be taken at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. Live music will be performed by father, son and grandson trio "Steppin Stones." This year, the classes of 1963 and 1973 will be honored, while all graduates of Monongah High School are invited and encouraged to attend. So far, 180 guests have reserved their ticket to attend.
Treasurer Donna Colbert Davis, who plans the event and graduated from Monongah High in 1961, said it will be her last year planning the event. She has helped plan the event for 20 years. She has sent letters to the 40 remaining members of her graduating class and three tables worth of classmates will be attending from 1961 to celebrate "one last hurrah," she said.
It will be the last year for Association President Linda Lopez Gandy, Vice President Dolores Edwards, Secretary Connie Koldres Cameon and several other board members, as they are in or approaching their 80's.
"We've tried to keep it going, but I just can't do it anymore," Davis said and shared that she and other officers have had health concerns over the past several years.
At the event, they will award three scholarships — the Raymond Glover Scholarship which was started by Lanny Rear for his friend who was killed in Vietnam, a Memorial Scholarship and the Alumni Association Scholarship. The Alumni Association Scholarship is the only one guaranteed to continue after this year and this will be the last year for the Memorial Scholarship.
Davis said they will continue the Alumni Association Scholarship as long as there are funds to support it and the remaining funds they raise at this year's dinner will go toward the scholarship.
They will also be raffling off University of Alabama memorabilia from Nick Saban —some of which is autographed. His sister and brother-in-law, Dene and Leroy Thompson registered for dinner and Davis asked if there was anyway Saban would be able to donate to the event.
"Well, he's my brother, we speak often," Dene Thompson said and a box from Alabama was dropped off on Davis' porch.
While Saban has and probably won't attend the dinner, due to his busy schedule, they thought it would be a good idea for him to help out any way he could.
They will also raffle off a black and red flower planter, which is donated by Bice's Greenhouse in Shinnston. Davis also had Monongah High Alumni mugs and tumblers made, which will be for sale for $10 a mug and $25 for a tumbler with a straw.
Both Thompson and Davis said they look forward to the dinner as a chance to catch up with old friends.
"It's really nice to see people that you went to school with, or people that you know, from the community. It's nice to touch base with people that you don't normally see on a regular basis," Thompson, who graduated in 1968, said.
Davis agreed. She added that her class is very close still and meets once a month during the summer for dinner.
"I like being involved with the event as a way to keep in touch with past students. ... My class has kept in touch. We usually try to meet once a month in the summer for a covered-dish dinner or we go to a restaurant. I've had them at my house on two different occasions already. Our last one was at Morris Park in September. It's a lot of fun," Davis said.
Davis said she hopes someone takes over the planning of the event, but they also need to realize a lot of work goes into planning it.
The dinner and dance is $30 to attend and the last day to RSVP is Monday, May 22. To RSVP or for any additional information, contact Donna Colbert Davis at 304-534-5636. Checks can be sent to Donna Colbert Davis at 858 Park Ave., Monongah, WV, 26554.
Reach me at sshriver@timeswv.com or 304-367-2549.
