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School reunion covers classes of many years

Calling all Bentley high school classes of 1951-1961!

Calling all Bentley high school classes of 1951-1961!

A class reunion covering all these years is being organized for this August in conjunction with Bentley’s 100th Anniversary and the annual Bentley fair and rodeo. Included in this invitation are students who did not necessarily graduate with their class but attended country schools in the Bentley District during this time, as well as former teachers.

The get-together will be staged at the Forshee Hall on the August 7 weekend. Camping at the hall is limited to 20-25 units. There are no hookups.

Coffee and tea will be supplied at the hall Friday and Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. A full-catered supper limited to about 200 is planned for Friday starting at 6 p.m.

A non-refundable registration fee is payable by July 15 to Shirley (Reitsma) Anderson from Red Deer. Call 403-986-2841 for full details or e-mail her at shirleyja@ shaw.ca.

The reunion has been planned to coincide with, but not compete with, events of Bentley’s centennial/fair/rodeo that runs August 6-9 that has many events and meals planned. That way there are many more things to do for the whole weekend besides camp and reminisce at the country hall.

Bentley’s centennial reception centre is open on Thursday, August 7 at the Elks/Legion Hall. There are pancake breakfasts Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings in the Bentley town main parking lot and beef-on-a bun Saturday night.

The annual indoor rodeo goes August 7 & 8 inside the Bentley arena. There will be a drive-in movie shown on the side of the old grain elevator on the Friday night.

There is a car show, art show, and Farmer’s Market on the Saturday, August 8.

On Saturday night there is a rodeo cabaret and dance and fireworks are set off.

An interdenominational cowboy church service and noon meal goes Sunday morning in the big tent in the town parking lot.

Many other displays and events are not listed here.

Other contacts include Merlyn Wilson at 403-748-2364, Eleanor (Bergesen) Pye at 403-748-4711 or Dave Carlyle at 403-885-4298.

The deadline of July 15 to register is right now!

There are other school reunions planned for this summer as well.

A 50-year reunion for the Bentley Class of 1965 is planned for Saturday, August 8. It is a drop-in get-together at the Bentley Drop-In Centre with lunch about noon and supper around 6 p.m. There is no formal program planned; just sharing old stories and catching up on what has gone on in the last 50 years. Please pass the word around.

Those attending are encouraged to bring along pictures and other school memorabilia. Contact Sheryl (McNaught) Boyes at 403-843-6153 for more details.

Souvenir Bentley centennial T-shirts, hats, pins, and also booklets containing historic photos are for sale.