If you graduated from Mission Secondary School in 1972, then the committee in charge of organizing your 50th class reunion wants to hear from you.
The committee, made up of 1972 Mission grads who now live around the province, are in the in initial planning stages for a reunion weekend to be held at various venues in Mission from Sept. 9-11, 2022.
Back on June 2, 1972, Mission had a graduating class of 180 students at the only high school in Mission at that time, Mission Secondary School.
It was a year of change as in late 1971, the school mascot name was changed to the “Mission Roadrunners.” Mary-Ann Ferguson was the student who suggested the new moniker which still exists today.
According to Deb Wardle (Donatelli), one of the reunion organizers, the guest speaker for the grad ceremony was Chief Dan George, valedictorian was Bernard Holweg and Ed Swanson read the “last will & testament” of the class.
“We held our grad banquet at the recently closed, Rancho Banquet Hall in Abbotsford, where Steven Vosburg gave a toast to all the female students,” Wardle stated in an email to the Record.
Bruce McTavish and Bob Sebel were first and second term presidents of our 1972 Student Council.
While the reunion is still five months away, organizers have already proposed some plans.
The reunion would start with a Friday night social evening at the Mission Springs Pub where all past MSS students are invited to join the class of 1972.
“We hope to have ’70s memorabilia and photos on display as conversation starters,” explained Wardle.
Saturday afternoon will see a tour of the school – classrooms, gym, band rooms etc. – followed by a car rally! The idea is to have the participants follow a scavenger hunt type of map focusing on Mission businesses and focal points that students knew in 1972!
“This is still very much a work in progress.”
Saturday evening will feature a banquet at the Best Western Hotel and maybe even some former teachers will attend.
It should be an evening to socialize, celebrate and take lots of photos. Spouses of grads, as well as any MSS student who knew the Class of 1972, are welcome.
Tickets for the dinner are $60 per person, and pre-registration is a must. Dennis Lissimore is the contact for dinner tickets at dmlissimore@gmail.com. and deadline for dinner ticket sales is August 1.
A block of rooms have been reserved at the Best Western Hotel for out-of-town guests.
Sunday we hope to have a community picnic for families (weather dependent) and, depending on interest, a golf tournament as well (but plans are currently not confirmed.)
“Right now, our focus is contacting as many of our former classmates as possible,” said Wardle.
They also want to contact students who may not have graduated with the class, for whatever reason, as well as student who started at MSS in 1968 but moved away before the 1972 graduation.
A Facebook group, “Mission Secondary School, Class of 1972, Mission BC” has been created former students are encouraged to join.
“Right now, we have contacted approximately 50 people and about half of those are on the Facebook page. We have a long way to go.”
For more info, contact Wardle at debwardle@telus.net and for dinner pre-registration contact Dennis Lissimore at dmlissimore@gmail.com.
