WELLSVILLE — Wellsville alumni from across the country, even as far as Texas and California, will soon be returning to Wellsville for the 16th All Class Reunion. Some of the alumni attending are from classes of 1945, 1947 and 1948.

Over 5,000 invitations were mailed out to Wellsville High School alumni to attend the event which was started by Luella Thompson in 1950 and only happens every five years.

Although according to Shirley Shank, Wellsville Activities Committee, it’s been 10 years since the last reunion due to the one that would have occurred in 2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event started with just the All-Class Reunion Dinner, according to Shank. In 1990, when after the Wellsville Alumni Activities Committee was formed, activities were added uptown for people to have other things to do when they come back into town.

For many years Thompson, Tom and Jean Broderick, Karen and Lee Tice, Marieclaire McNichol, Joan Crawford, Joyce Jones Shank and Chris McNichol were the organizers for the event. Shirley Shank noted that other than McNichol and Crawford, all the original organizers have passed away.

Jim Shepherd, who has also passed away, played a huge role in the expansion of the event from just a dinner to a weekend full of activities.

The Wellsville Alumni Committee who originally planned the event has merged with the Wellsville Activities Committee for which Cheryl Gibson is the president.

Shank is hoping to see more recent graduates, including those from the class of 2025 to attend the reunion in hopes of keeping the tradition alive.

“The younger ones don’t seem to be coming to us,” Shank said. “It’s harder to get them to come.”

Shank said they would like to see the reunion continue and people need to support the dinner because that’s where it all started and without the dinner there wouldn’t be anything.

“It’s important to keep this alive because it’s something that started a long time ago and so many people from out of town look forward to coming back and seeing everybody,” Shank said. “We would like to see it continue but we truly don’t know how much longer it will continue because we can’t get the younger ones involved with it.”

Shank wants to encourage younger alumni to take part in the reunion.

The event is open to any Wellsville graduate and their guests. Alumni can register for the event until June 26.

This year the All Class Reunion will take place July 4-5.

The event kicks off on July 3 at 7 p.m., with a lip sync contest at Wellsville High School. The contest is free to attend. Previously the lip sync contest was only open to Wellsville graduates, but that has changed this year to allow graduates of any of the local public and Christian schools to participate.

The opening ceremonies for the reunion will take place on the square on July 4 at 4 p.m. From 4 p.m. to midnight, there will be vendors and food available. Cassie and Dave Byers, from the Class of 1982, will perform from 4-6 p.m. The Wellsville Alumni Parade will begin at 6 p.m., with lineup starting at 5 p.m., at the Wellsville Fire Department. DJ Colin Maple will be spinning tunes from 6-8 p.m., followed by Doug Rose performing solo from 8-8:30 p.m., and the Full Circle band performing from 8:30 p.m. until midnight. Everything takes place in the square.

There will also be fireworks on July 4 at 9:45 p.m. on 10th Street Ext.

Events for July 5 include WHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductions at 10 a.m., at Wellsville High School with a $5 admission fee; WHS Alumni Association Scholarship Luncheon at 11 a.m., at the Wellsville Alumni Center; vendors, food and live entertainment on the square from 4 p.m.-midnight and the All-Class Reunion Dinner at 6 p.m. at Wellsville High School.

The Wellsville Alumni Activities Committee will be holding a 50/50 raffle and souvenirs for sale at the alumni tent on the square with all proceeds benefiting the committee.

For questions or registration for the lip sync contest or the parade call Linda Cochran at 304-387-1461 or email indianaavenue1@yahoo.com by June 25.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com