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Inaugural Avery County High School Reunion Set for Saturday, October 26 in the School Gymnasium

By Tim Gardner

Did you attend or graduate from Avery County High School? Would you like to reconnect with former classmates and friends? Would you like to visit with old friends in other classes? Then the First Annual Avery County High School Reunion is for you!

The three schools that consolidated to form ACHS (Newland High, Crossnore High, and Cranberry High) have had annual reunions for many years. Avery County High School has been in existence now for 50 years and there has never been an annual reunion for all classes.

But finally, one will be held this Saturday, October 26, the day after Avery’s Homecoming Celebration and Football Game. The reunion will take place in the ACHS Gymnasium, located at 401 High School Road in Newland. It is free to attend and doors will open for fun and visiting at 1:30 p.m. The reunion will last until 5:30 with a special program at 2:30 p.m.

There will be snacks, door prizes, a 50/50 Giveaway available. Additionally, various memorabilia will be exhibited, featuring the various academic and athletic successes of the school’s students, athletes and Vikings’ teams from its first school year of existence (1968-‘69) to the present.

All school alumni, students, officials, faculty and other staff members—both former or current– and their families along with school patrons, county residents and anyone else who would like to attend are not only cordially invited, but urged to do so.

“The biggest reason we are putting this on is that everybody has friends in other classes, people who are older and people who are younger, and if everybody just goes to their own class reunion, they never see their friends who were older or younger. It’s a way to bring everybody together,” said Danica Goodman, who led the way organizing this reunion.

The celebration will be a time to come back to meet up with old friends, share stories and relive some of the memories that made the high school a place that thousands hold dear to their hearts.

“Everybody who ever taught there, everybody who went to school there, we want everybody to come out for a fun afternoon with old friends,” said Goodman. “We’ve been working really hard to make this happen.”

Those planning on attending the event are asked to bring souvenirs of the school they own so they also can be displayed.

It is requested than those attending the reunion please RSVP to: ACHSalumni@aol.com as soon as possible with their name, graduating class year and how many will attend with them. While it is not required for those attending to RSVP, it is deeply appreciated by the ACHS Alumni Association.

Also, anyone who can donate snacks for the reunion would be a great help. Money for postage and drinks is also needed, and, all donations would be greatly appreciated.

For further information about the class reunion, call the high school at: (828) 733-0151 or email its Coordinator, Danica Goodman at ACHSalumni@aol.com. Goodman said emails will be answered promptly.

Goodman, a member of the ACHS Class of 2000, also is spearheading the effort to establish an annual reunion for the school.

“I had this idea last year and went to the high school and talked with them and finally I just decided to make this happen,” said Goodman. “We hope each year to have it the Saturday after the homecoming Friday football game.”