By Gayle Groff
Labor Day Weekend will see our town flooded with Cordova High School (CHS) alums from all over the country, as they gather for an All-Year Reunion. Many activities are planned, including a no-host reception at the Reluctant Fisherman, an alumni pep rally and basketball game, and a catered dinner with music and a silent auction. The festivities will culminate with a picnic at the “grassy field” on Sunday.
The last reunion of this kind took place in 2016. The 2020 reunion was halted mid-stride due to COVID-19 shutdowns, so CHS graduates have waited four more years for another chance to get together and reminisce of days gone by.
This reunion has another twist: A forward-looking element. All CHS alums, whether they are able to attend the reunion in person or are waiting at home to hear accounts of former classmates, are invited to join in a friendly rivalry with the end goal of helping build an endowment that will be used to enhance life in Cordova for years to come. The Cordova Community Foundation (CCF) is accepting donations in honor of graduating classes from CHS. The class whose members donate the most will have the privilege of granting $3,000 to the youth program of their choice. They will also be able to choose a classmate to sit on the CCF grants committee for 2024. CCF will be devoting their entire 2024 grant cycle to local programs and projects that will benefit school-aged youth.
What a great opportunity to look back on “the good ole days” while also making a difference that will impact future generations in Cordova by building them a local permanent fund! Please join the fun by attending the reunion (registration forms are available on a table near the Cordova Museum entrance or on Facebook) and by making a donation to The Cordova Community Foundation in honor of your class (online at https://cordovacf.org/projects/ or mail a check to PO Box 175, Cordova, Alaska, 99574).
Cordova has a way of worming its way into the hearts of those who have gone to school here, lived here, and worked here. Reunion weekend will be a celebration of the bonds that have resulted. Hope to see you there!
Gayle Groff, Cordova High School Class of 1977, is a former teacher and principal at Mt. Eccles Elementary School in Cordova, who now works part-time with The Cordova Community Foundation, giving her a life-time of working with missions she loves and values.
