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Our 20-Year Reunion was, without question, a great success! We had nearly 200 classmates who came to at least one of the weekend's events, many with families in tow. Everyone seemed to enjoy remembering our high school days, catching up with friends, and meeting each other's families. The overall impression many left with was 'What a great group of adults we turned out to be!'
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Friday Night at Kite's
When: July 6th, 2007 at 8pm - ?
Where: Kite's Bar & Grill in Aggieville
615 N 12th St
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 776-4300
With nearly 200 in our group (about 100 classmates and our guests), we filled Kite's to the brim. Even the back patio was swarming with folks trying to escape the sweltering heat inside. While a few people huddled at tables talking loudly over the 80's tunes, most mingled throughout the venue, hugging, laughing, waving, drinking, and sweating. Introductions of spouses / guests were made dozens of times, and name tags were sometimes cautiously (and often not so inconspicuously) inspected before that lightbulb went off and recognition sparked followed by a chorus of 'Great to see you!', 'How've ya been?', and 'Man, it's been a long time!'.
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When: July 6th, 2007 at 8pm - ?
Where: Kite's Bar & Grill in Aggieville
615 N 12th St
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 776-4300
With nearly 200 in our group (about 100 classmates and our guests), we filled Kite's to the brim. Even the back patio was swarming with folks trying to escape the sweltering heat inside. While a few people huddled at tables talking loudly over the 80's tunes, most mingled throughout the venue, hugging, laughing, waving, drinking, and sweating. Introductions of spouses / guests were made dozens of times, and name tags were sometimes cautiously (and often not so inconspicuously) inspected before that lightbulb went off and recognition sparked followed by a chorus of 'Great to see you!', 'How've ya been?', and 'Man, it's been a long time!'.
Spouses and guests got to know each other as they sometimes faded into the background for classmates seeing each other for the first time in twenty years. They were very understanding, though, and gave us a chance to reminisce, taking the opportunity to get acquainted with each other. Not only were old friendships rekindled, but new ones were formed as well, making this a very successful event (well, that & the fact that no one threw up or got thrown out of the bar!)
About midnight, most of the crowd had dispersed as the college crowd started filtering in, but a few night-owl revelers kept the party going at Last Chance and other Aggieville bars before calling it a night. This casual, come-and-go, meet-at-a-bar event was a great, no-pressure way to kick off the weekend. For some people, it was the only event they attended, and for others, it was the beginning of a very memorable two days in Manhattan.
Specific comments / impressions / stories from classmates are being collected on the 'Feedback' page & will be featured below on a rotating basis. If you attended this event, please give us your feedback!
"It was so much fun, but I wish I had taken the opportunity to talk to more people. Seeing everyone for the first time in 20 years was a little overwhelming!" - Jonell (Borst) Johnson
"It was great fun, but HOT!" - anonymous
MHS Tour
When: July 7th, 2007 at 10:30am - 12noon
Where: MHS West Campus
2100 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 587-2150
www.usd383.org/Schools/Secondary/MHS/
Walking the halls of MHS 20 years later sure brought back tons of memories! From finding our old lockers to using our kids' butts to shine the 'M', we all found something amusing and nostalgic from taking this 'come & go' tour.
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When: July 7th, 2007 at 10:30am - 12noon
Where: MHS West Campus
2100 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 587-2150
www.usd383.org/Schools/Secondary/MHS/Walking the halls of MHS 20 years later sure brought back tons of memories! From finding our old lockers to using our kids' butts to shine the 'M', we all found something amusing and nostalgic from taking this 'come & go' tour.
As we entered the building and neared the top of the steps, we got a glimpse of a very pleasant surprise - Mr. Rezac and Mr. Benson were there to greet us, some of us by name! (Is it good or bad when your high school principal remembers your name after 20 years?) They, and a handful of teachers, had come at our invitation - the ONLY invitation any of them had EVER received to attend a class reunion. They seemed genuinely glad to see us and our families and said they were very proud of the adults we've become.
Different parts of the building (which has sadly deteriorated) brought back various memories, directly relating to each individual's experiences and the activities in which they participated. Cheerleaders posed for pictures in the gym, choir members found their group pictures on display in the practice room, and jocks checked out the trophy case and records boards to see if any of their old records still stand. In the commons hung large team photos of last year's sports teams - did we look THAT young?
The senior bench was nowhere to be found. The auditorium (now named Rezac Auditorium) seemed smaller as did the cafeteria. The halls have been carpeted, there are computers in the classrooms, and the Indian head mosaic now hangs in the commons near the front entrance. And.........THEY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING! These kids don't know how lucky they are!
Our families enjoyed the tour as well. Some of our kids spotted a chalkboard and asked, "What's that green thing on the wall?" Others played in the commons while their parents chatted about 'the old days'. Spouses patiently let us walk the halls at our leisure, pointing out our lockers and classrooms to them as if giving a tour of famous museum pieces and telling them stories we'd long forgotten.
Stories about classmates' experiences on the MHS Tour are being collected on the 'Feedback' page and will be featured below. If you attended this event, please give us your feedback!
"This was nice, good to see our old stompin grounds and great to see our old VP and Principal there too. It seemed a more relaxed environment, easier to get reacquinted with our classmates." Cindi (Eckhoff) Chase
"I'm so glad we invited the administrators and teachers. It was really good to see them and I think they really appreciated us for inviting them. I wish Mr. Dillon and Dru Clark could have made it." - Jonell (Borst) Johnson
Family Time at the Zoo
When: July 7, 2007 at 12pm
Where: Sunset Zoo / Pavillion
2333 Oak Street
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 587-2737
www.ci.manhattan.ks.us/index.asp
Nearly 300 people, including classmates and their families, gathered at 12pm for snacks and drinks in the pavillion, which was reserved for us. We had a bounce house for the little ones and a children's program that started at 12:45pm and lasted about forty-five minutes. Following the children's program, families were welcome to stay and explore the zoo on their own.
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When: July 7, 2007 at 12pm
Where: Sunset Zoo / Pavillion
2333 Oak Street
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 587-2737
www.ci.manhattan.ks.us/index.aspNearly 300 people, including classmates and their families, gathered at 12pm for snacks and drinks in the pavillion, which was reserved for us. We had a bounce house for the little ones and a children's program that started at 12:45pm and lasted about forty-five minutes. Following the children's program, families were welcome to stay and explore the zoo on their own.
High noon in July in Manhattan is pretty HOT! The large pavillion we rented stayed full most of the afternoon with everyone trying to stay in the shade. Our kids all got a chance to play together, pet some snakes, and compare sno-cone-stained lips. We almost lost a few of them, though, when the unanchored bounce house started sliding down the hill! The older kids had fun, too, making fast friends amongst themselves.
Some people actually looked around the zoo, but most returned to the pavillion to visit after the presentation done for the kids. The crowd thinned before too long with most people leaving to go get ready for the banquet that evening.
Specific comments / impressions / stories from classmates are being collected on the 'Feedback' page & will be featured below on a rotating basis. If you attended this event, please give us your feedback!
"Loved to see everyone with their kids, fun and relaxing." - anonymous
"This was nice, though on the HOT side, but what can you expect in Kansas in July." Cindi (Eckhoff) Chase
"The Vietnamese Potbellied Pig cracked me up. It really whined after a while when the kids were brushing it in the petting zoo." - Jonell (Borst) Johnson
"The Zoo was a lot of fun. The show they presented was interesting." - anonymous
Banquet & Dance
When: July 7, 2007 at 6pm - Cocktails & Reg. / 7pm-12am - Banquet
Where: at the Clarion (formerly the Holidome)
530 Richards Drive
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 539-5311
hotelhelp@choicehotels.com
www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo
Our banquet committee put together an incredible event for 238 attendees! The evening began with a cocktail reception and banquet registration from 6pm - 7pm. Classmates received their nametags (complete with yearbook photo), perused old issues of The Mentor, and greeted everyone with smiles, handshakes and hugs as they sipped on their choice of beverages from one of the two bars.
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When: July 7, 2007 at 6pm - Cocktails & Reg. / 7pm-12am - Banquet
Where: at the Clarion (formerly the Holidome)
530 Richards Drive
Manhattan, KS
United States
66502
Contact:
(785) 539-5311
hotelhelp@choicehotels.com
www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelInfo