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Fundraising allows classmates to attend Girard reunion free

By BOB COUPLAND

Tribune Chronicle

GIRARD – Having spent the past 10 years holding various fundraisers made it possible for members of the Girard High School Class of 1966 to attend their three-day 50-year reunion for free.

Nanci Brady, one of the reunion coordinators, said 97 people attended the reunion event that included a mixer ”sock hop” held at Avon Oaks Ballroom in Girard, dinner and brunch at Trumbull Country Club in Warren. Of the 97 at the event, 70 were from the graduating class.

”We did a variety of fundraising so all our classmates who wanted to attend could be here for free. This was the first reunion some have attended. We wanted to give them the opportunity to attend,” Brady said.

Brady said the reunion had a 1960s theme with dinner and American Bandstand.

She said a committee met 10 years ago to plan for ways to raise monies to cover reunion costs. Fundraising included spaghetti dinners and raffle tickets for Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers games.

Brady said original plans had one classmate bringing vintage cars to the event for the class photo, but it rained.

Lucia Martuccio, whose parents Sam and Caroline Martuccio are in the 1966 class, decorated the tables with the 1960s theme of soda shop and diner cafe.

Kathy LoVerde, committee member, said her husband suggested the raffle ticket fundraiser for the sporting events, which is where the bulk of the monies raised came from.

“The committee worked so hard to achieve what we did. I am so proud of what we did together. We became like a family,” Brady said.

Anita Coe, a committee member, said it took a lot of work and time but everyone worked together like a ”well-oiled machine” and pitched in.

”The reunion brought back memories of the 1960s. It reminds you of what it was like to grow up in the 1960s, some of which I wish I could go back to,” Coe said.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com

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