Twenty-one members of the Galva High School graduating Class of 1966 gathered from both near and far alike Saturday, Aug. 8, to celebrate 60 years post-graduation. A dinner was held at the East End Table and Tap in Galva, with class member Sarah Miller Greener as hostess.
Greener read a greeting from Ray Whitman (Class of 65) about the importance of attending reunions and staying in touch with classmates.
Classmates from California, Indiana, Iowa and Kansas attended to be with the group and were joined by Dr. Jean Bjorling Young and husband Bob, from Ghana.
Dr. Bjorling is a general and pediatric surgeon who spoke on the area where she provides care to large numbers of patients, most of whom live in poverty.
“Families are not able to stay with their children who have surgery, and so we become caretakers as well as doctors,” she said. Husband Bob is an EMT, firefighter and fixes anything and everything when needed. “Our hospital could not function without him.”
Larry Anderson and wife Dorothy came from Indiana. He has always written poetry, and she is an artist. His book “There Was a Lane” is available at both the Kewanee and Galva Libraries and on Amazon. Anderson, who calls himself a novice, credited his mother for his inspiration.
“I write a lot about those in our armed services, as well as thoughts on life,” he said, and some of his poetry can double as song lyrics. Dorothy, the daughter of the late Betty Bennet of Kewanee, illustrated his book.
Several others shared information about their post high school lives and shared pictures from grade school and high school sports.
Items of Galva Wildcats attire were awarded as door prizes, with Rita Carassca Wheelhouse winning the grand prize of a Galva bag from Allenia Space and a T-shirt sporting Galva’s new slogan – “Galva – Where Music Lives.” Julie Cederberg Larson won a special prize for being the first to send in her reservation.
Much laughter and conversation ensued, and the group plans to get together on an annual basis in the future.
